The Egyptian sky turned orange as a heavy sandstorm hit the country in early June. Strong winds laden with dust and sand caused serious disruption to traffic in the country, prompting the government to close the Suez Canal and two ports and to advise Egyptians to stay at home and avoid walking close to billboards.
If the sandstorm can knock down billboards and other metal installations, its impact on crops is obvious. Hesham Tantawy, nutrition expert and technical support & development manager at Green IAP, reports on the damage to the agricultural sector, particularly arboriculture.
Hesham says, "For the past ten days, Egypt has been hit by strong winds of over 60 km/h, laden with dust and sand. The damage to many crops has been total, especially for fruit trees. In Oisis areas, Upper Egypt, Ismailia, and the Desert Governorate, the impact was fatal and all vegetables were lost.
He continues, "Mangoes were particularly hard hit, as they are grown mainly in the Ismailia region. The sandstorm destroyed everything just as growers were getting ready to harvest. This had an immediate impact on prices."
Fortunately, the impact was less severe for grapes, according to Hesham, even if some producers reported losing all their harvest. "Overall, the destroyed quantities are less than mangoes. The sandstorm caused spots on the skin of the grapes in some areas, but the quantities involved were small and we quickly dealt with them, excluding them from exports."
This crisis is ongoing, adds Hesham. "I visited some farms yesterday and could see that the sandstorm is still hitting regions such as Farafra, Upper Egypt, Minya, Beni Suef, and Alexandria Sahrawi. This will mean less yield and quality for many crops.
"This is a great challenge for trees, including vines, as the trees are exhausted. The situation is particularly worrying for late varieties such as Crimson, which are just beginning to color. Growers must therefore redouble their efforts and vigilance in their farming operations," he adds.
The expert concludes, "In particular, I recommend irrigating properly to reduce stress on the trees, adapting nutrition programs before any climatic disturbance, and for that matter scrupulously following the notes issued by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority."
For more information:
Hesham Tantawy
Green IAP
Tel.: +201050505387
Email: hesham.Tantawy@green-iap.com