The Egyptian red onion season begins soon, on April 20. Egyptian red onions are hitting the market while demand for yellow onions, whose season began on February 15 and runs until early May, is slower than last year, according to Mohamed Ahmed, export manager at Al Gamal.
The exporter states, "On the production side, everything is going well with a generous supply available in all sizes, from 30 to 60 mm, and in all packaging from 10 kg to 1,250 kg. We expect the same trend for yellow onions, which will also be available in about ten days."
It is on the demand side that the situation is complicated, according to Ahmed: "We are seeing sluggish European demand due to the high availability of domestic production. As a result, our export prices are currently 20–25% lower than last season."
Weak European demand is offset by strong demand from the Arab region, particularly in countries such as Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. According to Ahmed, this is attributable to the war in the Middle East, as these countries typically source their onions from Iran.
Egyptian onion exports have not been impacted by major logistical disruptions this season according to the exporter. "We are seeing some vessel delays, as well as additional insurance costs for our shipments to Iraq that transit through Saudi Arabia and continue on to Erbil by road," he concludes.
For more information:
Mohammed Ahmed
Algamal for import & export
Tel: +201062839734
Email: [email protected]
