The 2024/2025 Egyptian strawberry season is shaping up to be a real test for growers and exporters. Many problems that have been affecting the industry in recent years are amplified this season, presenting industry players with the challenge of maintaining Egypt's position as a leading source of quality strawberries or losing the competitiveness gained over decades. Khaled Albana, CEO of Legacy Farm for Strawberry Production and Export, admits that the season that has just begun is "a turning point".
Albana says, "The 2024/2025 season has just begun, and we're facing several major challenges. There's the country's economic situation, the difficult climatic conditions, the massive increase in production costs, the logistical complications... Quite simply, we're being called into question this season. We'll strive to maintain Egypt's reputation as a source of high-quality strawberries for the global market, and we'll see how the market responds to this season's prices."
The grower adds, "Climate change is at the root of the hardships we're facing. It has resulted in noticeable shifts in weather patterns in Egypt, including in areas where strawberries are grown. I'm talking mainly about high temperatures and successive heat waves. We're seeing yield reductions and even a reduction in quality in some areas. But growers aren't giving up, and are implementing new irrigation and nutrition strategies, and I think the results are pretty good this season. The strawberry sector, like other strategic crops in Egypt, has been modernizing for years. We have invested in smart irrigation and data analysis solutions to boost yields, and this is a decisive parameter in mitigating the impact of climate change."
"However, this tug-of-war against climatic conditions certainly maintains quality, but at the price of considerable increases in production costs," regrets Albana. "This season, the year-on-year increase will undoubtedly be noticed as many costs have gone up: fertilizers, pesticides, labor... Nurseries are also seeing their costs rise, which has repercussions throughout the chain."
Climate is not the only culprit in this story. The Egyptian strawberry industry, like the agricultural sector as a whole, is facing serious logistical complications. Albana explains, "Shipping costs are becoming out of hand. This makes it difficult for Egyptian growers to maintain competitive prices in international markets. We are also seeing the emergence of new logistical challenges, and we are faced with the imperative of improving the supply chain and cold storage efficiency to ensure that strawberries reach customers in good condition."
"These challenges are made even worse by the exaggerated royalty fees imposed by big corporations, whether for plants or irrigation technologies. Changing regulations in Europe, a major market, add a layer of complexity and cost, and we'll have to adapt our farming practices this season," Albana adds.
Albana remains optimistic for the 2024/2025 season: "Leveraging technology and innovation remains our only weapon against climate change and logistical challenges, while at the same time containing soaring costs. There's a real chance that the season will be a commercial success despite rising prices. The key will be to expand markets and target new regions, such as East Asia and some European markets that we haven't yet reached, and which are showing an interest in Egyptian fresh produce."
For more information:
Khaled Albana
Legacy Farm for Strawberry Production and Export
Tel: +20 10 63973279
E-mail: [email protected]