Egypt: Good prospects for lettuce in the winter

Established in 2008, Farmex, an Egyptian company has recently added frozen artichoke and strawberries to the portfolio. Over the years, it has also become a key supplier of Iceberg lettuce for fast food chains in the Gulf market. “We now have 60 hectares devoted to Iceberg lettuce that meets their requirements and we are also entering Italy and Turkey,” affirms Executive Director Ahmed Magdy.


 
While the company also cultivates varieties like the Lollo Rosso or Romaine, Iceberg lettuce has, in fact, become the main product of Framex, which started working with associated producers, but has been developing its own crops since last season. “We select the seeds from a Dutch company and own the latest technology for cultivation (not hydroponics); we have also already received a Global GAP certification for our farm,” affirm Magdy.


 
Besides exporting by sea and by truck, the Farmex also makes shipments by air to reach more distant destinations. “Last season, we started with 70 containers of lettuce, shipping from December until the 1st of April; this year, we are planning to increase the volume to 130 containers per season,” states Magdy. Overall, prospects are good in the Gulf market, especially for the winter season, “and if we compare Egypt with other countries growing Iceberg, we have the best product at this time of the year.”


 
Given this focus on quality, Magdy says that the demand for Egyptian lettuce is on the rise, especially in the Gulf area and Russia, even though there are also challenges, namely to do with the short shelf life of lettuce. In this regard, Farmex does everything in its power to prevent the product from getting stuck for days in the port and ensures that it reaches its destination in the best possible condition.

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