This year the weather conditions in Egypt, although favorable in terms of yield, have caused a shortage of large-sized citrus fruits. This is bad news when we know that importers from Russia, a major destination that absorbs 30% of Egyptian citrus, prefer large sizes.
Mr. Abdullah Tharwat, Business Development Manager at Pyramids Agricultural Investment Co. said: "This year we are facing a difficult challenge in providing the sizez 48 - 56 - 64. The most present sizes in Navel and oranges are smaller. Our customers in Russia are constantly demanding large sizes, so we have to balance the shipped quantities of large-sized fruits between Russia and customers in other countries".
Despite this, Egypt is still in a good position in the citrus sector, according to Mr. Abdullah. "We continue to compete with Spain despite the shortage of large sizes, as customers continue to appreciate the good taste of Egyptian citrus".
The abundance of Egyptian production this year adds another challenge to Egyptian exporters, and that is maintaining competitive prices despite rising production costs: "The devaluation of the Egyptian pound against the dollar, which other countries are also facing, is causing packaging costs to rise. Ultimately, our prices must remain competitive because we have large quantities. Farmers now have to sell oranges in the tree at a rate of 0.2-0.25 depending on size and quality."
Mr. Abdullah adds: "There is good demand this season for citrus, but we cannot deny that many Egyptian exporters will have difficulties because of the challenges related to local and global issues."
Currently, Pyramids Agricultural Investment is packing navel oranges, and the Valencia variety is expected to gain full color within 2-3 weeks. "We hope for the best for everyone in this industry, and for the world to enjoy our citrus," concludes Mr. Abdullah.
For more information:
Mr. Abdullah Tharwat
Pyramids Agricultural Investment Co.
Tel: +201005027256
Email: Abdallah@pyramids-agriculture.com
Website: pyramids-agriculture.com