FRUIT LOGISTICA 2016: Egypt, partner country, focuses on growth
Egypt, partner country for FRUIT LOGISTICA 2016, has announced an unprecedented presence with the participation of the major exporters in the international trade fair for fresh produce marketing. Egypt’s stand in Hall 2.1, will host the official opening of FRUIT LOGISTICA 2016 next February 3, 2016.
Exporting to 145 countries, Egypt shows a favorable projection into the future of agricultural exports. New investments in the sector and its commitment to establish international specifications in packaging, contribute to this evolution.
The last 10 years Egypt has increased the volume of agricultural exports by 226%. In 2014 -2015 agricultural products were exported (excluding rice), worth more than $ 2 trillion. According to the report of the Foreign
Agricultural Service / USDA Office of Global Analysis, Egypt was the world’s largest exporter of oranges in season 2014 -2015.
The unique geographical location, combined with expanding infrastructure is leading the country to position itself as a key point in global logistics for companies looking to do business in or between Europe, Asia and Africa.
An important step was the agreement between 26 African countries in June this year to create a free trade area. The new free trade agreement, Tripartite, is the integration of existing agreements of EAC, COMESA and SADC.
In 2017, when Tripartite enters into force, the movement of goods between Member States shall be provided. Food safety and quality as well as water supply are a priority for the Egyptian health authorities, to ensure high quality in the production of fresh produce fulfilling global regulations set by organizations and institutions of international certification. Careful monitoring of farms and exporters coupled with his extensive international experience in logistics and technology, guaranteeing the supply of products on schedule and in the best quality.
The Egyptian transport and logistics sector plays an increasingly vital role in international trade. About 90% of Egypt’s foreign trade is shipped through the ports. To make this possible, the logistic capacity of the country continues to grow in proportion to the volume of trade. A clear example is the growth experienced by the Suez Canal, which is expected to double its capacity of 49-97 ships a day.
Egypt is fully committed to take firm steps in the export of agricultural products. In the period 2014 – 2015 743 000 tonnes were exported to the EU by 727 Egyptian companies. In total, the sector’s exports amounted to
3,532 thousand tons in the same period. The main countries of destination of Egyptian agricultural products outside the European Union are Saudi Arabia, with 18% of the total volume, followed by Russia, with 18% -, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, India, Libya and Jordan.
With exports to the European Union of 21% of total production, the main destination countries are the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Germany, Romania, Lithuania, Spain and France.
Egypt exports a wide variety of agricultural products. However, oranges occupied the number one export volume thousand tons, followed by 650 thousand tons potatoes, tomatoes with 109,000 tons, 55,000 grenades tons, green beans with 44,000 tons, tangerines with 36 thousand tons, 34 thousand tons strawberries, lemons with 33 thousand tons and 26 thousand tons peanuts.
The agriculture industry and related activities play an important role in the Egyptian economy. With a cultivated area of about 9 million acres, employing 32% of the labor area, it represents 14.7% of GDP. Egypt’s stand at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2016 will be located in Hall 2.
Source: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2016
