Mangoes, those golden jewels of summer, are nature’s gift to Egypt. Never has this been more true than this year, when the country’s production of this tropical fruit is so abundant that it is selling at half the price of last year.
With ample production and various types of mangoes being grown, Egypt also has plenty of the fruit to export. Favourable climatic conditions during crucial growth stages, including flowering and initial fruiting, are the main reason behind this year’s quality and quantity, said Ayman Hamouda, director of the Horticulture Research Institute in Cairo.
“There have been no significant complaints from farmers regarding crop issues this year, unlike the adverse effects of climate change noticed in 2021 when mango production plummeted by up to 40 per cent and the strong winds that damaged the fruit last year,” he said.
“The higher temperatures have accelerated ripening across most varieties, leading to harvesting the crop almost at the same time throughout the country and a surplus of supply, driving prices down,” he added.
He suggested that these conditions represent a prime opportunity to expand exports of mangoes and venture into food processing to optimise returns.
In mid-August, the Agricultural Quarantine Administration reported that mango exports had reached 37,038 tons, ranking seventh in Egypt’s total agricultural exports from January to August 2024.
Major importers of Egyptian mangoes include Saudi Arabia, Russia, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, and the UK. Mango exports to Europe from September 2023 to February 2024 totalled 68,000 tons valued at $77 million and comprising two per cent of Egypt’s agricultural exports.
Hussein Abu Saddam, chairman of the Farmers Syndicate, said early flowering before this year’s heat waves had strengthened the mango trees, enhancing their resilience and production capacity.
He attributed the lower prices of mangoes to two factors, one being abundance. The market has become saturated with mangoes due to the closeness in ripening of various varieties, he said, with some varieties typically harvested in November readily available at the beginning of summer.
The second factor is the simultaneous availability of mangoes with other summer fruit like grapes, watermelons, and dates. This has resulted in less demand for mangoes compared to seasons when they were sold alongside grapes only towards the end of the summer, Abu Saddam said.
The Ministry of Agriculture attributes the rise in mango exports in recent years to collaborative efforts with Export Councils to access new markets, leveraging the reputation of Egyptian mangoes in the Gulf and Eastern Europe.
The latest addition to these markets was Lebanon, which began importing Egyptian mangoes at the start of 2024.
Abdel-Hamid Al-Demerdash, head of the Export Council for Agricultural Crops, said that tapping new export markets takes two to three years, commencing with private-sector initiatives through export and joint business councils.
The next step, he added, is for the agricultural ministries of the two countries to sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) that can then evolve into actionable protocols to open trade channels. During this time, food safety certifications are exchanged between respective authorities.
Sayed Khalifa, head of the Agricultural Syndicate, said another factor contributing to increased production has been the expansion in reclaimed land cultivated with mangoes in Lower and Upper Egypt.
He said that some crops exhibit a cyclical pattern where one year’s production spikes during the flowering and fruiting phases followed by a decline in flowering the following year.
Ahmed Zaki, Secretary-General of the Exporters Division of the General Federation of Chambers of Commerce, said that export agreements are typically finalised in advance of the season concerned, but they also can make the most of abundant produce and export it at competitive prices.
Such collaboration is facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture, which establishes export protocols with importing countries, he explained. The ministry informs other nations about exports available at reasonable prices, prompting them to make use of the opportunities available.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 August, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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