The National Food Safety Authority's Information Centre, in its 47th report, highlighted a series of rigorous inspection and permit issuance activities across Egypt's agricultural and food sectors. From Dec. 7 to 13, the Department of Control of Packing Stations and Centres executed 53 visits, resulting in the issuance of 2027 agricultural export permits. Concurrently, the General Administration of Factories Control, in collaboration with the Industrial Development Authority, conducted 32 supervisory inspections of food factories nationwide.
In terms of exports, sweet potatoes led the charge with 12,000 tons, followed by tomatoes at 8,000 tons, and beans at 6,000 tons. The export volume of vegetables stood at 47,000 tons across 66 varieties. For fruits, citrus took the top spot with 47,000 tons, with dates and strawberries following at 6,000 and 5,000 tons respectively. Sudan, Libya, Russia, and Saudi Arabia emerged as the primary importers among 150 countries engaging with Egyptian products.
Additionally, the Strategic Commodities Department conducted 13 inspection visits to wheat storage sites across Egypt. The General Administration for Registration and Licensing of Private Food registered 83 products and 18 companies, reviewed 619 new products, and issued 13 free sale certificates. To ensure food safety, the Complaints Management unit undertook 709 inspection missions in various governorates, while the Control of Commercial Chains registered 1,462 food establishments, with 407 meeting the required standards in the last week.
Moreover, the Warehouse Control Department carried out 20 monitoring missions, and the Management of Licenses and Control of Tourist Facilities conducted 64 visits, including periodic surveillance and inspection of licenses in key governorates. Mobile Food Units and the General Department of Slaughterhouses also played critical roles in maintaining food safety through inspections and export permissions to the EU.
This comprehensive inspection drive aligns with directives from NFSA chairman Dr. Tareq el-Houby to enhance control over food establishments, reflecting Egypt's commitment to food safety standards.
Source: The Egyptian Gazette