Demand for the Egyptian potatoes has dropped a bit ever since the war in Ukraine started. Russia would normally take about half of the production, but this will not be the case this year. The garlic season has also started, with lower prices due to higher production.
The Egyptian potato season has seen higher prices, both for the product as well as costs, says Gehan El Sherif, export manager for El Rawan: “This year, the prices are better than they were last year, but the costs of materials and shipping have been higher than any season before this one. Egyptian production sits around 750 thousand ton this season. Russia would normally take about 45 to 50 per cent of the production, but due to the war the situation is uncertain.”
Potatoes are also heavily consumed in the local market. El Sherif states that more potatoes are sent to the industrial market this year, to be used in factories. “When it comes to the local market, potatoes can go to either the consumer market or towards factories, the industrial market. This season, it would seem that more potatoes are being sent to the industrial market. For exports, the start of the season looked promising, as demand in both Europe and Russia was very high. The expectation was for demand to increase even more from March to June, but the current war situation has changed the perspective, as orders have dropped.”
Next to potatoes, El Rawan has also started with the garlic season: “For garlic, it’s still early days in the season. Current demand isn’t high, but it’s not low either. Prices are lower than they were in the previous season, as we’ve had too much production this year compared to other years. We’re focusing on the European market for now.” El Sherif concludes.
For more information:
Gehan El Sherif
El Rawan
Tel: +20 109 985 0716
Email: gehanelsherif@el-rawan.com
http://el-rawan.com/en