Egypt's total exports of agricultural crops to different countries in 2017 increased to reach over 4. 8m tonnes, compared to 4.34m tonnes in 2016, according to an official report issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation on Saturday. The report revealed that citrus fruits were the most important crops exported last year, witnessing a great increase, with total exports amounting to about 1.4m tonnes. Previously, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expected Egypt to become the largest exporter of oranges in the world during the 2017/2018 season, as a result of its attractive prices after the floatation of the Egyptian pound. Whether it reaches the top spot depends on the volume of Spanish production, but at a worst estimate, Egypt is expected to be the second largest exporter. According to the ministry's report, among other important crops that were exported this year, witnessing a significant increase compared to 2017, was the potato crop, as its total exports amounted to 800,000 tonnes. Next came onions with total exports of about 500,000 tonnes, grapes with total exports of 140,000 tonnes, pomegranates with exports of 130,000 tonnes, strawberries with total exports of 40,000 tonnes, and mangoes with an export volume of 49,000 tonnes. "That increase is owed to the ministry's recent efforts and the measures taken to ensure the quality of Egyptian agricultural crops in order to increase their exports rate," Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Abdel Moneim El-Banna asserted in a press release commenting on the report. The minister added that Egypt has succeeded in opening new markets for Egyptian agricultural crops abroad, such as in China, Canada, Taiwan, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Mauritius. El-Banna assured that Egypt's success in this sector enhances the promising investment opportunities in the field of horticultural crops, thus providing a large number of employment opportunities and increasing income in rural areas.
