The world getting a taste of Egyptian oranges

Guest authored blog for Sahara Yield by
Abdullah Tharwat
Business Development Manager
Pyramids Agricultural Investment Co.

Abdullah works with many companies as an agricultural consultant and expert in exporting many crops, with heightened focus on citrus, in order to support the opening of new markets for the Egyptian product around the world.

Read the Sahara Yield article for a quick insight on Egyptian oranges this season

Published by: Sahara Yield Newsletter

Is an Ai gowing to grow your food?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more powerful and ubiquitous by the minute, and every industry is trying to find ways to make use of the new technology. Agriculture is no exception, and many startups and companies are already incorporating cutting-edge AI tools into an age-old industry. 

Last year, the market was estimated to be worth $1.1 Billion, and Vantage Market Research stated that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture Market is expected to reach $4.2 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 25.1%.  

Learn more about what's happening in this field throughout African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania in our latest article

Published by: Sahara Yield Newsletter

Water & Agriculture: World Water Day Special

Sahara Yield - On the occasion of World Water Day, we are publishing a special white paper on the scarcity of water in the Middle East and North Africa, where water scarcity poses a real threat to those regions in general, and to Egypt in particular. 

80% of the region's water is consumed in agriculture, which is 10% more than the rest of the world. Meanwhile, fresh water represents only 1.4% in the region, making the Middle East and North Africa the most water-scarce regions in the world.

The white paper includes Egyptian and regional efforts in the fields of water and agriculture across the GCC in addition to Turkey.

Also, our pleasure to announce the special edition includes a featured article by our guest author Eng. Sherine El Wattar, a water management and governance specialist who started her career in sustainability, environmental governance, and clean energy at an early age and has a long track record of volunteering to promote cultural awareness around the Mediterranean Sea. In this article, she discusses the importance of preserving water.

Published by: Sahara Yield Newsletter

EGYPT’S AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING

Egypt’s agricultural history and heritage stretches back millennia. From ancient to modern Egypt, farming was at the core of food production, trade, and industry. But that does not mean it has not changed. Today, Egypt’s agricultural landscape is changing because of climate, economy, and population increases, making it a prime market.

The ever-growing population in Egypt means that demand for produce will always increase, making crop protection a necessity. The crop protection chemicals market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5%. 

Egypt is facing an additional challenge in the form of water scarcity, farmers are moving away from traditional farming methods they’ve grown accustomed to, such as flood irrigation, and instead relying on modern methods like drip irrigation, hydroponics, and vertical farming, as they are more water-efficient farming techniques. 

Published by: Sahara Yield Newsletter

AGRICULTURE CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES FACING MENA IN 2023

It’s not surprising that the growth forecast for the global agricultural complex is positive, and agriculture in the MENA region specifically is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 5.7% over the next 5 years. However this does not mean the road to the future is all set as the industry growth has to happen with some shifts in practices and trends over the coming year.

Over 80% of MENA is desert, yet growing populations in urban areas will urge countries to increase production and yield. The use of Agritech, which is the application of technology and emerging innovations to improve process efficiency in the agricultural sector, will start to become more mainstream to enable more sustainable farming practices that use less water. 

Published by: Sahara Yield Newsletter

Booming Exports for the Egyptian Fertilizers Industry in 2022

Local and International forces at play have contributed to booming fertlizers exports according to the Egyptian Chemical and Fertilisers Export Council as it expects to register EGP 8bn in exports by the end of this year. 

The council announced that exports of chemical industries in the period from January to August 2022 amounted to $5.71bn — an increase of 31%, compared to the same period in 2021. Egyptian fertilizer exports amounted to about $2bn in the first 8 months of 2022, achieving a growth rate of 53% compared to the same period last year.

Published by: Daily News on 24 September 2022

Egypt’s Prime Minister orders state authorities to support modern irrigation system

Madbouly directed for all necessary support to be provided in applying the national plan to modernise the country’s irrigation system. Modern irrigation systems are suitable for all old and new agricultural lands, the application of these systems aims to improve water efficiency, enhance field irrigation, and achieve fairness in water distribution. Thereby raising the quality of crops, increase crop productivity, and reduce operating costs.

The new irrigation system aims to transform the flood irrigation system previously used across Egypt to modern irrigation systems using the drip method. This also entails using sprinkler irrigation, surface irrigation, and centre-pivot irrigation systems, for a more even irrigation system and the application of water-saving agricultural practices.

The Minister of Agriculture, Elkosayer, said that the new system has been applied to about ​328,000 feddan out of the 1m feddan targeted by this phase of the national plan. He added that the project is expected to be completed in June. He also noted that his ministry is cooperating with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation as well as the government to apply the new irrigation system on another 5m feddan.

Published by: Daily News on 6 January 2022

Egypt’s agricultural exports amount to 5.2 million tonnes in 2021, an increase of about 600 tonnes from last year

Egypt exports 350 different agriculture products to more than 150 world countries. Egyptian agricultural exports included citrus, potatoes, onions, strawberries, pomegranates, potatoes, beans, beets, guavas, peppers, mangoes, garlic, grapes, and watermelons.

Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Saeed Alkosayr said that citrus was the most exported product with a total of 1.8 million tonnes, followed by potato with 620,769 tonnes. 

Egypt is the largest exporter of citrus in the world. Oranges account for approximately 80% of Egypt’s total citrus crops. 

Published by: Daily News on 28 November 2021

Egyptian sweet potato season in full swing, demand for spring onion starts early

The Egyptian sweet potato season is in full swing and according to one exporter, demand is booming. Production is not able to keep up with the demand, which has resulted in higher prices this year. Costs have also increased, as both shipping and packaging has become more expensive compared to last year. Meanwhile the spring onion season has also started and demand from Holland and Germany came earlier than expected. 

“Regarding the weather in Egypt, it was very good and a positive effect during cultivation. Current demand is so high that it exceeds what we can harvest. This has in turn increased prices by about 30 per cent compared to last year. As a company, we export via airfreight to the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. Right now, sea freight prices and packing materials are a challenge. For a single container, we’ve been charged about 600USD more compared to last year. The boxes for packing have become more expensive as well, about 30 eurocents per box in the last two months and the price is still going up.”

Published by: Fresh Plaza on 26 October 2021

High-level UN delegation to visit farmers and review progress of rural development projects in Egypt

Egypt is IFAD’s largest recipient of financial assistance in Near East and North Africa, and was one of the first countries to receive the Fund’s financing.

The IFAD delegation will visit IFAD-supported projects in the country and meet with community members and family farmers in Noubaria, Kafr El Sheik, and Amreya to review the impact of the projects on people's livelihoods and discuss the challenges that they are facing.

IFAD currently has three ongoing projects in Egypt; Promoting Resilience in Desert Environments (PRIDE); Sustainable Agriculture Investments and Livelihoods (SAIL); and the Promotion of Rural Incomes through Market Enhancement (PRIME) project. IFAD is investing US$ 203.47 million in these rural development projects out of a total cost of US$ 284.49 million. The projects are expected to benefit over  616,000 people in rural areas.

Agriculture is a key sector in the Egyptian economy, providing livelihoods for 57 per cent of the population and directly employing about 26 per cent of the labour force. Farming is a vital source of exports and foreign exchange of export revenue. The Egyptian economy has proven to be resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic with a positive GDP growth rate in 2020.  

Published by: United Nations, Egypt on 23 October 2021

Tunisia plants seeds of hope against climate change: AFP report

Tunisian farmers are turning to the past to ensure a future by planting indigenous seeds as the North African country suffers at a time of drought, disease and climate change.

Traditional seeds come from a genetic heritage best suited to the environment, said Maher Medini, from Tunisia's National Gene Bank, which promotes the development of sustainable agriculture in the country.

"They are reservoirs of genes hundreds, if not thousands of years old," Medini said, adding that the seeds are more resistant to the ever-growing dangerous impacts of global warming. Climate change is causing challenging variations in rainfall, temperature and humidity, creating disease in the crops, he said.

"The foundation of adaptation is diversity," Medini said. Wheat varieties developed in the 1980s are being blighted by disease in Tunisia, but farmers say that traditional varieties appear to be more resistant.

Published by: Egypt Today on 17 May 2021

Egypt allocates EGP 73.8bn for agricultural development in FY 2021/22: Planning Minister

Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, explained that the agricultural sector and the related activities of animal, poultry, and fish production are the main source of food, as well as the inputs of the industrial sector.

This sector is characterized by its wide geographical scope to include different governorates, and by absorbing the largest part of the workforce in rural areas. Its position in the national economy is also reinforced by the strength of its interconnectedness with other economic sectors, especially the sectors of transportation, storage, trade, and manufacturing.

Published by: Daily News on 3 August 2021

FAO Signs MOU With Egyptian Poultry Industry

To develop the production and sustainability of the local poultry industry in Egypt, the FAO and the country’s Poultry Farmers Union have signed an MOU. Meanwhile, the UAE receives its first poultry import from Egypt.

According to Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture, Al-Qusayr, the government prioritises poultry production as one of the fundamental pillars for the food security of Egyptians, further noting that the local poultry industry employs 3 million people, and that nearly US$6 billion dollars are invested in it.

The MOU signed between the union and the FAO provides for cooperation in areas of common interest through the transfer of advanced and innovative technological services, according to Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, adding that it will strengthen production in biotechnology and biosafety, with subsequent training and technical support for workers in the sector.

Published by: Poultry World on 25 May 2021

Mahsama Water Treatment Project in Sinai

U.S.-based Engineering News Record chose Mahsama water treatment project in Sinai as the world’s best construction work in 2020.

Mahsama Water Treatment Plant east of the Suez Canal lies over 150 feddans. The project cost L.E.3.5 billion at the highest international standards.

Mahsama was established in one year to collect agricultural drainage water that was thrown into Timsah Lake in Suez Canal to be treated and pumped into East Sinai lake.

A total of 41 switches were built to transfer the irrigation water to reclaimed lands on both sides of the drainage system. The water will be transported from Mahsama drainage system West Ismailia to Mahsama treatment plant in East Ismailia through Mahsama Siphon under the Suez Canal to irrigate 50,000 feddans.

Published by: Egypt Today on 17 May 2021

Egypt's New Delta Agriculture Project: Reclaiming Over A Million Feddans

Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Al Sayed Al Qusair stated Sunday in a phone-in that the national project of creating a new Delta spanning over a million feddans (one feddan is equal to 4,200 square meters) will be executed in two years.

The area will be cultivated with strategic crops like wheat, corn, and vegetables, the minister pointed out noting that laboratory and field studies have been finalized.

Published by: Egypt Today on 29 March 2021

Joint Agricultural Projects in Africa

International Relations Supervisor at the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Saad Mousa unveiled that a number of joint projects with Sudan will be launched soon in the sector. Those include a horticulture farm and an animal production farm, Mousa said pointing out that such projects are the outcome of talks to cooperate in the fields of agriculture and animal production.  

In 2019, Egypt started establishing three fish farms and an animal farm in four African countries, said Head of the Project of African Farms, affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Maher Maghraby. Egypt started establishing fish farms in Algeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe, and an animal production farm in Uganda.

Published by: Egypt Today on 7 March 2021

The Effect of COVID-19 on Global Wheat Market

Countries are concerned with food security for the year ahead amid the pandemic, hence stockpiling wheat which is reflecting on its prices. This is causing exporting countries such as Russia  to introduce an export quota and taxes. While major importing countries like Egypt and Turkey see an expected increase in the 2020-2021 year as the second wave of COVID spikes international tenders.

Black Sea wheat prices experienced extreme volatility during 2020, reaching a six-year high at $258.50/mt on Oct. 23 and again on Dec. 27, and continued to push further at historically high levels while production reached near-record levels in Russia. Demand for wheat from elsewhere is expected to remain strong during the second half of the 2020-21 season (July 1-June 30), providing support to high prices.

Published by: S&P Global Platts

EGP 59.5m in Funding to Develop 42 Milk Collection Centres

Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation ElSayed ElKosayer has approved EGP 59.5m in funding to develop 42 milk collection centres in 6 governorates. The funding will be provided through the Agricultural Bank of Egypt (ABE), and will be used to establish, develop, and raise the efficiency and operation of the 42 milk collection centres.

ElKosayer said that milk collection centres have been termed as small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to benefit from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) initiative offering 5% interest on financing. Milk collection centre owners have also been exempted from the legal requirement for financing. They have also been exempted from the interest in establishing new milk collection centres in places where small dairy cattle breeders and dairy producers are located.

Published by: Daily News on 9 January 2021

Egyptian Strawberry sales affected by Christmas markets

Egyptian strawberries are usually a hot item in the run-up to Christmas. Not this year, says Lucien de Wit of LuBa Fresh in the Netherlands. "Many chocolate-dipped strawberries are sold at Christmas markets. So, these markets are usually this product's most important sales outlet at this time of year. That's entirely not the case now." 

Published by: Fresh Plaza on 22 December 2020

Egypt’s national AI council discusses the role of technology in agriculture

Egypt's National Council for Artificial Intelligence held its second meeting, which discussed the importance of using AI applications in agriculture, which is one of Egypt’s main economic sectors. The participants explored the technology’s possible role in overcoming the challenges that this vital sector faces, especially optimisation of irrigation and pesticides. At the same time, these applications will be used to help maintain soil fertility, as well as improve the overall quality of crops and the competitiveness of Egyptian products worldwide.

Published by: Daily News on 5 December 2020

Egypt's agricultural exports reach 4.8 Mill Tons

Egypt yearly exports agricultural products worth $2.2 billion, making up 10 percent of the country's non-petroleum exports. Egypt's agricultural exports have reached around 4.8 million tons in the period from 1 January to 25 November 2020, the country's Agriculture Minister El-Sayed El-Quseir announced on Thursday. The exports included citrus fruit, potatoes, onions, grapes, pomegranates, garlic, mangoes, strawberries, beans, guavas, cucumbers, bell peppers and eggplants, the statement added. Whereas in 2019, the volume of Egypt's agricultural exports reached approximately 5.4 million tons, according to the agriculture ministry. Egyptian farming products are found in 80 countries around the world, including Gulf and European Union countries, and China.

Published by: Ahram Online on 27 November 2020