Egyptian strawberry growers are gearing up for the coming season with high spirits and the hope of reviving the sector after a difficult season.
Elsayed Elgohary, an Egyptian strawberry grower, said: "We are continuing to resist the climatic problems and soaring production costs. Temperatures are harsh, and we had a very hot July, which wiped out 25% of the plants and areas prepared for next season. Rising production costs, which reached EGP 40,000 per Feddan this year, have also deterred many investors. Despite all these losses in acreage, we'll have the same area as last year, if not a little more". (40000 EGP = 13000 USD, 1 Feddan = 0.42 Ha)
The good news this year in terms of production conditions is that "plant quality has greatly improved," adds the grower. " Nurseries have listened to our pleas following the deterioration in plant quality last season. We're seeing a big improvement this season, and I can say that we no longer have that problem."
There won't be much difference in the varieties produced this year, although it could mark the start of the development of new varieties, according to Elgohary. "Fortuna will remain at the top of the podium, followed by Sensation and Festival. However, we are seeing more and more areas cultivated with the Valiant, Victor, and Royal varieties. We have tested these varieties, and they have shown good disease resistance."
Egyptian growers are expecting a successful season next year, with the campaign starting at the beginning of October, while their main competitors in the region are facing difficult conditions. Elgohary says: "We see that Spanish growers are still facing a labor crisis, and the strawberry industry, in particular, needs a massive workforce. In Morocco, growers are increasingly moving away from strawberries in favor of other products that are more profitable or that do well in Morocco, such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries".
Elgohary concludes: " All these factors point to a steady increase in demand for fresh strawberries in Egypt. The same applies to frozen strawberries, and we expect Egypt to remain the world's leading origin for frozen strawberries this season as well."
For more information:
Elsayed Elgohary
Marvel Farm
Tel.: +201002496633
Email: [email protected]
