Sweet potato volumes will drop significantly in Egypt, says Mr. Zayed Lahseen, CEO of AfriGoodGrow. "The reputation and success of the Egyptian rice crop have come at the expense of sweet potato production. Farmers decided to produce rice rather than sweet potatoes this season, as both use the same soil of the Kafr al-sheik and Damietta lands". The grower expects volumes to return to their normal level next season.
The decrease in volume is accompanied by an increase in prices, Zayed added: "The cost of one ton of sweet potatoes harvested at our farms is almost EGP 5,000 compared to EGP 3,750 last year, not including the costs of transport, drying, packaging, and shipping. This said, the devaluation of the Egyptian pound against foreign currencies has helped us to remain competitive in terms of prices."
As for the quality, Mr. Zayed assures that he is very satisfied with this year's harvest, and explains: "the quality of this season was exceptional, the shapes and sizes were perfect, however, the sizes were smaller at the beginning of the season in August/September and then the sizes got bigger with time. L1 (300-450 gm) and L2 (450-600 gm) were the preferred sizes for most customers. And for the first time, we noticed the demand for S (80-150 gm) & M (150-300 gm) sizes, as they are packed in small recyclable packages and sold at retail, especially in Northern Europe". AfriGoodGrow produces the varieties Orange fleshed Beauregard and Bellevue Sweet potatoes.
AfriGoodGrows exports mainly to England, Germany, and the Netherlands. Starting this season, the grower has reached other markets. Mr. Zayed explains: "We have started new partnerships with solid importers in Dubai, Croatia, Spain, and Italy. France, Poland, and Scandinavian countries have also shown good demand and it is very important to explore these countries next season".
To support its market's growth, AfriGoodGrow is investing in a new packing station.
"It is currently under construction and will have the capacity to process and store over 800 pallets of fresh sweet potatoes. It will help our customers easily find their preferred sizes and shapes" Zayed continues. The new packing station is central to the producer's vision: "We need to treat our fresh Egyptian produce with respect, packing it beautifully with high-quality materials. It deserves a better price when we compare it to produce from other regions of the world."
This vision is shared by all AfriGoodGrow growers, concludes Mr. Zayed: "We are a group of farmers, packers, and exporters who have united into one company and worked hard to help our customers have peace of mind and enjoy good quality at reasonable prices from our farms in Egypt."
For more information:
Mr. Zayed Lahseen
AfriGroodGrow
Tel: +420 739 019 060
Email: [email protected]
Website: afrigoodgrow.com
