Egyptian exporters have begun marketing their calendars of Valencia oranges, which account for the bulk of Egyptian citrus volumes, amid geopolitical tensions and climate change troubles. For Mohamed Maatouk, CEO of Egyptian Emirati, "It's essential to stay in tune with customer concerns and converge our efforts to overcome the crisis".
Maatouk says, "We started the 2023/2024 citrus season with high spirits and high hopes, given the great improvement in citrus quality and volumes in Egypt this season. Climate change has manifested itself in a rather positive way for Egyptian citrus, as we started the season earlier than expected due to warmer temperatures, which allows an extended export season. Overall, climate disruptions led to an exceptional quality of oranges, and a balance of sizes unlike last season."
However, the climate has been less clement in many other parts of the world, and this has created changes in the trade that reached Egypt. Maatouk says, "Spanish exporters have massively arrived in Egypt to establish contracts and to be able to guarantee continuous supply for their markets. It's a new parameter in the competition map, and heralds a very competitive season."
The second key development weighing heavily on the Egyptian citrus campaign, and on international trade as a whole, is the ramifications of the war in the Middle East, which has caused a freight crisis in the Red Sea. Maatouk adds, "It doesn't impact our exports to Europe or Russia, but it does impact our business in equally important markets, such as the Gulf countries, India, China, Malaysia and Hong Kong. These are primary markets in the orange sector."
Maatouk continues, "It is now necessary to bypass the Red Sea and make a detour around Africa, severely impacting prices and schedules. That said, we're still in touch with our customers in Asia, they're still placing orders, and we hope this problem will be sorted out very soon to improve the safety of international trade."
In the unbearable expectation of a settlement of the war in the region, Egyptian exporters are adopting quality as their watchword, assures Maatouk. He concludes: "Egyptian exporters continued to adhere to stringent quality standards in 2024. Compliance with international certifications such as GlobalGAP and ISO has reinforced confidence in Egyptian oranges. There has also been an increased focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, aligning with global efforts towards sustainability."
For more information:
Mohamed Maatouk
Egyptian Emirati
Tel: +20 122 122 8020
Email: Mohamed.maatouk@egyptian-emirati.com
www.egyptian-emirati.com