Egypt's agricultural exports rose to 5.2 million tonnes during the first half of the year, with citrus fruits and potatoes continuing to lead the list of products, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation announced. The figures were detailed in a report received by Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk from the Central Administration for Agricultural Quarantine, the ministry said in a statement. Citrus fruits led the exports with approximately 1.8 million tonnes, followed by potatoes at 1.2 million tonnes. The ministry said this confirms their growing importance as key export crops due to their recognised quality. Other major exports included 168,000 tonnes of fresh onions, 136,000 tonnes of fresh and dry beans, and 103,000 tonnes of sweet potatoes, which ranked fifth. The list of major exports also included grapes, fresh strawberries, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes, guavas, and pomegranates. The minister said the state was working to enhance Egypt's position as a leading regional hub for high-quality agricultural exports. He noted Egypt's commitment to applying the highest standards of quality and food safety, which helps open new markets and boosts international confidence in Egyptian products. Farouk added that the ministry continuously provides support to exporters and works to remove obstacles to increase the competitiveness of Egyptian products in global markets, underlining the agricultural sector's pivotal role in the economy and in supporting the state's development plans. The minister attributed the success of the export system to the collaborative efforts of farmers, producers, and exporters who are committed to high-quality output and good agricultural practices. He also praised the continuous monitoring by agricultural engineers and researchers, the efforts of the agriculturalquarantine authorities, the ministry's central reference laboratories, and foreign agricultural relations in opening new markets. He highlighted the constant follow-up on shipments from the farm to the destination market. Farouk called on the relevant ministry departments to continue their development and monitoring efforts and to provide all forms of support to agricultural producers to further grow the export sector and maintain the quality of Egyptian produce.
