Some had said that the Egyptian citrus season would be delayed, but it seems that some shipments are already arriving in Europe. "Indeed, the date that had been set for the export of oranges was December 15, but possibly due to the pressure from some exporters, some volumes have already started to be exported, because two weeks less of export may have put a lot of pressure on the Navel campaign," said a Spanish importer in Cairo.
Egyptian Valencia oranges.
"However, some of the growers we work with have still decided to wait until the 15th, and I even have delayed some shipments to the 20th," he says. "As in Spain or Morocco, temperatures are high, and the color of the fruit is still somewhat pale, so it is better to wait, especially for the more demanding destinations. Otherwise, the fruit I have tasted is in very good condition and the Brix levels are good."
"We have started with Egypt, but not with oranges. This week, we are loading Mirav mandarins, Star Ruby grapefruit and lemons, and only next week we will load the first Navels."
The truth is that the lower volumes of citrus in Spain and a quality which, according to the industry, isn't the best, have led many importers to turn their sights to Egypt again this year. "It all points to the fact that more Spanish companies have come." It should be recalled that in the previous campaign, citrus imports from Egypt in the EU-27 already increased by 108.5% and amounted to 493,537 tons between September 2022 and August 2023, although the bulk of the volume - 98.7% - was imported from January onwards.
"Here in Egypt I have seen many oranges with a similar issue as Spanish oranges due to the drought: an atypical oval shape. But besides the quality, there is also the issue of the fruit's condition, and that depends on the destination," he said. "We work with many destinations with quite long transit times, and the regulations of the EU and many European chains limit us in the use of fungicides and other chemicals for good preservation. Nowadays, that's a lost battle for us. I hope that technicians will find solutions and that Spain can remain a world leader in citrus exports."
"A few growers are starting to have Tango and W. Murcott"
Oranges, without a doubt, are Egypt's leading export product. According to data from Spain's Ministry of Agriculture, they accounted for almost 95% of all citrus shipments to the EU, while mandarins accounted for a discreet 4.2% share.
"Most Egyptian companies either do not have or have only small volumes of varieties such as the Freemont, Mirav or W. Murcott, many of which have seeds, which is not accepted in many markets. Besides, their quality cannot be compared to that of Spanish mandarins," said the importer. "A few growers are starting to have limited quantities of Tango and W. Murcott from January onwards, but their volumes are not comparable to those of Morocco or Spain."
Egyptian Tangold
As for prices, the question that arises is whether, given the higher demand for citrus expected from importers this year, Egypt will take advantage of it. "Producers here are well aware of how the production is going in other countries in the Mediterranean area and, of course, they will try to get the best possible prices, arguing also that they've had to deal with higher costs. As for the demand, we have to differentiate between importers' demand and real consumer demand, because given the economic situation, with inflation affecting fresh produce, etc., the demand for citrus from consumers hasn't been great to date, despite there being less fruit. Far from it!"
We will have to wait and see what happens, he said. "There may be less fruit in Spain, and little demand, but in the end, it might still be enough. It wouldn't be the first time that happened."