Egypt's Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk said that El Salvador and other Latin American countries praised the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) for meeting international phytosanitary standards in its citrus exports, as per a Cabinet statement. The minister confirmed that despite global challenges, Egypt's citrus exports — including oranges, lemons, mandarins, grapefruits, and others — currently rank first globally. This solidifies Egypt's leading position in citrus exports for several consecutive years, surpassing major citrus-producing nations with over 2.4 million tons and revenues exceeding $1.1 billion in 2024. Farouk praised the CAPQ and its staff for upholding the quality of Egyptian agricultural exports, maintaining the country's international reputation, and sustaining demand in global markets, according to the statement. Mohamed El-Manssy, head of the Central Administration of Agricultural Quarantine, stated that the authority is working to streamline export procedures for Egyptian agricultural produce and open up new markets, given recent positive sector developments. He noted recent efforts to boost exports to Latin America, including opening the Brazilian market to 28,171 tons of Egyptian citrus this season. Brazil also approved imports of Egyptian potatoes and strawberry seedlings, with talks ongoing for onions, pomegranates, and fresh dates. El-Manssy added that Argentina also imported around 3,955 tons of citrus fruits this season. Moreover, the Salvadoran market was opened to Egyptian orange exports, with 196 tons exported, and further shipments are underway. He further confirmed that by the end of 2024, the Guatemalan market was opened to Egyptian citrus following serious negotiations, with 195 tons exported to Guatemala for the first time this season. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
