File Photo: Workers put the finishing touches to a float made from lemons and oranges during the lemon festival in Menton, southern France, February 15, 2008 (Photo: Reuters)
New Zealand will open its markets for Egyptian orange exports for the first time after two-year negotiations and technical visits, agriculture Minister Ezz-Eddin Abu Steit announced.
Abu Steit said in press statements that a protocol has been signed between the Egyptian agricultural quarantine department and its counterpart of New Zealand in light of efforts exerted by the Ministry of Agriculture to open new markets before Egyptian agricultural products to support the national economy.
Egypt has been imposing stricter regulations on agricultural exports, introducing a new system under which crops are inspected several times while in the fields, after harvest, and finally after they are prepared for export.
Agricultural exports during January-November 2019 rose to report more than 5 million tonnes for the first time under the regulations imposed in accordance with the criteria set by importing countries on the quality of exports.
The new figure is up from around 4.8 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
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