Kuwait has lift temporarily ban on imports of Egyptian agricultural products, notably pepper, lettuce, guava, and onion, its agriculture ministry announced Thursday. This came after a series of meetings and negotiations held between Egyptian and Kuwaiti officials. The ban, which was placed on concerns over pesticide residues, had come at a time where there was an increased appetite for Egyptian exports resulting from a currency float that slashed the pound's value in half last year. Egypt has asked an agricultural quarantine body to advise on shipments and warn of exporters who violate agreed-upon international standards, the statement said. It said that counterpart bodies will also be appointed abroad to monitor the quality of exports on the other end and that the ministry is currently negotiating that exporters who violate the rules be punished instead of countries of origin. Egypt's agricultural exports rose 2 percent during the first ten months of 2017, recording $1.845 billion compared to $1.806 billion last year.
