The Agriculture Export Council (AEC) intends to raise Egyptian exports by 5%, increasing the sector to $2.26bn in 2017, up from $2.146bn in 2016.
Head of the AEC, Abdel Hamid Demerdash, said that increasing exports will contribute significantly to achieving the business target for the sector, which has been suffering from increased production costs since the flotation of the Egyptian pound.
He added that increasing exports will be the result of a few factors, including stopping rumours dogging Egyptian products, which resulted in the cessation of all export shipments at ports to ensure the quality and safety of the products.
He noted that another factor is taking an interest in agriculture in the Nile Valley and the Delta, as well as establishing a food safety authority to manage problems in the sector.
Demerdash said that Arab markets account for 50% of Egypt’s agricultural exports, while the European Union accounts for 40%, with the remainder distributed amongst other countries.
Demerdash said that the AEC aims to expand into exporting to Africa, considering the low shipping costs and proximity to Egypt.
source: dailynewsegypt.com
