Heat Waves Cause Delay and Colour Issues for Egyptian Pomegranates

The 2022 Egyptian pomegranate season is later than previous years. The Baladi variety, which is usually ready by mid September, has not reached full colour yet. The internal colour and brix are good but the external colour remains the biggest problem. Similarly, the Wonderful variety, which usually reaches full colour by the end of September, is still around 80-85% colour with good sugar level and internal colour. The heat wave that hit Egypt during 2022 is also affecting the external colour, delaying the full red colour and causing sunburns to the shell. Due to the colour issues, Egyptian suppliers are targeting markets that do not require full colour.