The current Egyptian sweet potato season has had more difficulties than the last leading to a delay in some shipments, says Rayan El Sawy, Chairman of fresh produce exporter Egyptian Emirati Import & Export: "This sweet potato season was more challenging than previous seasons in Egypt, due to weather conditions, especially in the Delta region. As a result, both the volumes and quality of the sweet potatoes were affected. We're currently focusing on improving the quality on our farms and have even postponed some orders, in order to avoid sending substandard products."
© Egyptian Emirati Import and Export
El Sawy is confident in their stock now and states that the exporter is able to meet the demand, even for the sizes that are in short supply in general. "Current demand is very good, and we're seeing strong movement in the market. However, there's a slight shortage in specific sizes, particularly L1, L2, and XL, which are especially important for Europe. That being said, we have all of these sizes available as of this week. We're doing our best to secure them for our key markets, especially Spain, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, and the rest of the European markets."
© Egyptian Emirati Import and Export
The competition might be too focused on increasing the sizes of their produce, at the expense of quality. El Sawy states: "As usual, the prices in the international market are higher at the start of the season, then they gradually decrease, but often rise again towards the end of the season. This is a well-known and expected pattern that we basically see every year. Current market competition is focused on sizing and quality. Some growers use quick growth enhancers to increase the size of the sweet potatoes rapidly, but this often compromises product quality. Because of this, we avoid such practices on our farms. Our priority is long-term consistency and quality, not short-term gain."
© Egyptian Emirati Import and Export
"The season is just starting, and while there are many expectations and scenarios ahead, the key point is that current demand is high. Our focus is clear: Consistency, quality, and long-term partnerships. We are fully committed to honest communication regarding sizes and pricing, and to building lasting trust with our clients," El Sawy concludes.
For more information:
Rafiq El Sawy
Egyptian Emirati Import & Export
Tel: +20 1205521324
[email protected]
Rayan El Sawy
Tel: +971 508 198 460
[email protected]
