As the month of Ramadan approaches, this year starting on 10 March, Egyptian exporters of Valencia oranges are eagerly awaiting a resolution to the situation in the Red Sea. Mahmod Allam, from the exporter Citrus Agro, shares the industry's concerns.
Allam explains: "A large part of our Valencia exports are made just before the Ramadan period when demand for this variety increases considerably. In addition, much of the demand comes from our markets in Asia, such as India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the Maldives, and, in general, countries with large a Muslim population. We are following developments in the Red Sea with concern. So far, rerouting through the Cape of Good Hope has considerably increased delivery times and costs, which risks reducing our exports to these key markets."
"Every season brings its own challenges, and we'll be able to adapt," continues Allam. "There are still companies that sail safely in the Red Sea, and we try to book our deliveries with them. We continue to receive orders for deliveries through the Cape of Good Hope, and we are doing our best to reduce our prices for Asian markets to help our customers lessen the blow."
Besides Asian markets, Egyptian exporters can count on other markets where demand is increasing before Ramadan, says Allam. "These include Russia, Senegal, Kenya, Cameroon, Djibouti, Mali, France, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Deliveries to these countries have not been affected by the transport crisis, and we remain very competitive."
"Egyptian Valencia oranges are available in abundance this season," adds the exporter, "with sufficient volumes for the entire global market, balanced sizes, full coloring, high juice consistency, and a brix of up to 12%. In terms of quality and price, we can outperform the competition in Turkey and Iran, and even South Africa, which is benefiting from the current crisis in the Red Sea."
Allam concludes, "At Citrus Agro, the Ramadan period represents the busiest part of the season for the Valencia variety, with an export volume of 4,000-5,000 tonnes. We hope that the damage will be light and that the crisis will soon be over."
For more information:
Mahmod Allam
Citrus Agro
Tel: +20 128 397 5058
Email : sales@citrusagro.com
www.citrusagro.com