With the conclusion of Egypt's potato harvest, the focus now shifts to the storage phase to sustain export operations until year-end. Yassen Abdelhay, export advisor at Arafa for Export and Development, emphasizes that storage conditions will be critical to the campaign's overall success.
As Abdelhay notes, the 2025 potato season in Egypt has experienced a production increase, resulting in competitive export pricing. Export volumes have climbed by around 25% compared to the previous year, reaching over one million tons by May 2025. Russia continues to be the largest export market, while demand grows in regions like the United Kingdom and the Far East. Arafa Company has exported over 40,000 tons to date, with plans for ongoing shipments through December.
Harvesting concludes by late June, necessitating large-scale storage to ensure exports through October and fresh potato shipments until December. Mastery of cold storage standards and post-harvest treatments is vital to maintaining quality, freshness, and adherence to export protocols. Long-term storage and safe transit pose challenges due to potential sprouting, shrinkage, and rot. However, by adhering to best practices and international standards, the freshness of products is consistently maintained.
The company follows guidelines for proper storage, starting with gentle handling during the harvest to avoid damage. The curing stage involves storing potatoes at approximately 20°C for five days to allow minor injuries to heal, enabling sorting and selection of premium-quality potatoes for long-term storage. Cold storage practices focus on temperature maintenance: table potatoes require 3–5°C while processing potatoes are stored at 8–11°C. The temperature is gradually adjusted to prevent shock.
Humidity levels must be between 80–90% to prevent drying, while continuous darkness prevents greening. Effective ventilation ensures temperature and humidity balance. Sprouting is managed using anti-sprouting chemicals as per regulatory guidelines. Potatoes stored below 7°C may experience cold-induced sweetening, necessitating a reconditioning process to reverse sugar accumulation.
Container shipping requires specific conditions: table potatoes at 3–5°C, processing potatoes at 8–11°C, with humidity at 85–90%, and a ventilation rate of 30 cubic meters per hour. Abdelhay affirms Arafa's adherence to these practices, focusing on quality and freshness in both domestic and international supply chains, particularly for long transits to regions like the Far East.
Source: PotatoPro
