Egyptian strawberries are experiencing an exceptional season, with a substantial increase in production that has led to Stability in Strawberry prices, while competition and increased transport costs have exacerbated exporters' difficulties. Moustafa Shaalan, sales manager at Green Tiba, acknowledges that "the industry has lots of changes this season compared to previous seasons."
© Green Tiba
The season started earlier than usual, as growers rushed to hit the market first, only to see prices nosedive as oversupply flooded the market. Shaalan says, "Production has increased significantly, putting exporters in a difficult position, especially as rising transportation costs have not helped. We also had to sort strawberries many times this season, especially during the bad weather conditions in order to fulfill our loading programs and keep Green Tiba's brand in the markets all times, regardless of the weather conditions in Egypt."
"There has also been fierce competition from other origins, such as Greece, Turkey and Iran in some destinations. Under these conditions, demand and export volumes of Egyptian strawberries are directly affected. But the effect is not the same for all exporters, and that's where brand strength makes all the difference," Shaalan continues.
© Youness Bensaid | FreshPlaza.com
The increase in production, with the arrival in the sector of many new growers unfamiliar with MRL targets in export markets, has led to tighter controls on Egyptian strawberries in Europe and the UK markets. Shaalan comments: "Compliance with MRLs, as well as fruit handling, shelf life, and choosing the critical time for picking strawberries, have made the difference between Egyptian players. At Green Tiba, we are glad we have managed to preserve our customers' confidence, while others have struggled during this exceptional season."
"We have performed well despite all these challenges, increasing our export volume by 40% compared to the same period last season. This result proves that our strawberries and our way of doing business meet the highest standards," the exporter continues.
© Green Tiba
Shaalan explains his recipe for success: "Our first strength is that our strawberries are completely pesticide-free and meet the Global QC Standards. We have also adapted our packaging and labeling this year to meet the different needs of our clients. For example, we have introduced a special Valentine's Day-themed packaging and different labeling options to suit different needs, as a wholesaler in Malaysia obviously has different requirements than a supermarket in Germany or the UK."
"We have also implemented new fruit sorting and handling techniques to guarantee freshness and longer shelf life. This has enabled us to maintain the trust of our customers, including supermarkets in the Netherlands, Germany and UK," the exporter continues.
© Green Tiba
While the trend at this stage of the season for producers and exporters is to turn to the frozen sector, Shaalan states, "At Green Tiba, we will continue to export fresh Festival and Sensation strawberries very late this season, as late as demand allows. That is, until the end of the export season to Europe, and then to other markets in Russia, Asia, and the GCC countries."
For more information:
Moustafa Shaalan
Green Tiba
Tel: +201023332544
Email: [email protected]
