Egypt’s food industry exports increased by 14% in the first nine months of 2023, reaching $9.3bn, compared to $4.3bn in the same period of 2022. This is the highest value ever recorded for Egyptian food exports in this period.
According to the monthly report from the Food Export Council, the exports grew steadily from January to September 2023, except for a slight decline in April. The highest monthly value was achieved in August, with $505m, followed by May, with $497m. The lowest monthly value was in January, with $369m.
The report showed that the Arab countries were the main destination for Egyptian food exports, accounting for 55% of the total value and registering a 21% growth. The European Union came second, with 17% of the total value and an 11% growth. Non-Arab African countries ranked third, with 8% of the total value and a 15% growth. The United States was fourth, with 5% of the total value and a 9% decline. Other international groups made up 15% of the total value and had a 1% growth.
Among the individual countries, Sudan was the top importer of Egyptian food products, with a value of $393m and a remarkable growth of 164%. Saudi Arabia was second, with a value of $305m and a 4% decline. Palestine was third, with a value of $198m and a 34% growth. Libya was fourth, with a value of $194m and a 23% growth.
The report also revealed that Egypt’s food exports to America amounted to $174m, showing a 9% decline, while exports to Yemen reached $146m, showing a 14% growth, and exports to Jordan reached $144m, showing a 6% growth. Iraq followed with $134m and a 30% growth, and then Italy with $132m and a 69% growth. Algeria had $109m and an 8% decline.
The report added that Egypt’s exports to the United Arab Emirates amounted to $108m, showing a 12% growth. The Netherlands was the twelfth largest importer of Egyptian food products, with $104m and a 1% growth, followed by China with $103m and a 4% decline, then Spain with $86m and a 45% growth. Germany was fifteenth, with $82m and a 2% decline. The fifteen countries represented 62% of the total sector’s exports in the first nine months of 2023.
The report revealed that Sudan was the top destination for Egyptian food exports, with a value of $393m and an increase of $244m compared to the previous year. Italy came second, with a value of $132m and an increase of $54m, followed by Palestine with exports valued at $198m and an increase of $50m, Libya with exports valued at $194m and an increase of $36m, and Iraq with exports valued at $134m and an increase of $31m. Other countries that witnessed significant increases in exports were Spain, Brazil, Morocco, Madagascar, Yemen, and the UAE.
The report also revealed the most important food commodities that were exported during the first nine months of 2023. The top was soft drinks manufacturing concentrates valued at $394m, followed by flour and starch and mill products valued at $373m, sugar and glucose and lactose at $364m, frozen strawberries at $284m, and prepared animal foods at $190m. Other products that had high export values were biscuits and cereal-based preparations, frozen vegetables, various food preparations, chocolate, juices, vegetable preparations and preserves, yeasts, pickled olives, cooking oils, and tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes.
Hani Berzi, Chairperson of the Food Export Council, said that the council seeks to increase Egyptian food exports through marketing activities carried out since the beginning of the current year. He mentioned some of the missions and exhibitions that the council participated in or organized in different countries such as Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Morocco, USA, Turkey, Germany, and Egypt. He added that work is underway to organize several trade missions to Algeria, Kenya, Iraq, China, Jordan, and Palestine, in addition to participating in the organization of the second festival for medicinal and aromatic plants in Fayoum held in September last year, and work is underway to cooperate in organizing the Egyptian Date Festival in Siwa in October.
