Egyptian blueberries arrive on the market for an export season that runs until May, with peak harvests expected from February to March. This seasonality gives Egyptian blueberries an early and advantageous commercial window, according to Muhammad Ashraf, Operations Director for the Egyptian company Pico Modern Agriculture.
Ashraf says, "Egyptian blueberries arrive before peak volumes from other sources already established on the market, which gives us the opportunity to promote our product. Blueberry production in Egypt is in its early beginnings, and we have not yet reached a sufficient volume to be as competitive as other products. We are therefore initially aiming to complement other origins."
© Pico
"The first blueberry trials in Egypt only date back a few years. We were among the industry's pioneers in Pico, with trials in 2018 and commercial production from 2023. We are confident that blueberries will be one of the success stories of Egyptian agribusiness, and we have all the assets and potential to be competitive in the European market, the Gulf countries, and the Far East," the exporter continues.
According to Ashraf, one of the decisive advantages in Egypt's case is its stable climate, which allows for greater regularity and predictability in Egyptian supply. He continues, "We grow blueberries in greenhouses, as is done elsewhere, and have better control over production conditions and costs, as evidenced by Egypt's success in other soft fruits."
"The expansion of acreage is steady and follows the development of demand in an organic way, as our fruit wins over more and more buyers. I think Egyptian growers, including Pico, will establish themselves as credible competitors with significant volumes within 5-7 years," he asserts.
"In the meantime, we are positioning ourselves as a complementary supplier to our Moroccan counterparts -with whom we are collaborating and exchanging knowledge, as was the case during our participation in the last Morocco Berry conference- including this season with programs available from January to May," Ashraf concludes.
Muhammad Ashraf
Pico Modern Agriculture Co.
Tel: +20 1006 661500
Email: [email protected]
www.picoagriculture.com
