Saudia Arabia, Sudan, Palestine, and the USA topped the markets receiving food industry exports, with a growth rate of 15 percent, 28 percent, 42 percent, and 28 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, top export food commodities were soft drink concentrates, flour and starch, frozen strawberries, and sugar.

Exported soft drink concentrates were valued at $309 million, with a 10 percent growth rate.

Flour and starch amounted to $246 million, with a 39 percent growth rate.

Frozen strawberries totalled $248 million, with a 24 percent growth rate, while sugar exports were worth $194 million.

The European Union and Arab countries were among the top importers from Egypt, at $1.6 billion and $701 million, respectively.

The food industry sector is one of Egypt's most important industrial sectors. It contributes 14 percent of the country's total non-oil exports, which makes it the third-largest industrial sector, according to the Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC).

The IMC also indicated that the food industry contributes 24.5 percent to the country's GDP.

Furthermore, it employs 23.3 percent of the nation's workforce, providing approximately seven million job opportunities.

Additionally, the sector's investments are estimated at EGP 500 billion.