Egypt seeks to double its date exports

Cairo – Egypt’s Food Industry Export Council aims to increase the country’s date exports to over USD 100 million by 2024, advancing from the USD 40 million in revenue last year, taking advantage of growing global demand. Mohammed Al-Qarsh, head of the council's dates working group, said work was underway with the Egyptian General Authority for Standardization and Quality to define specifications and standards for Egyptian dates and their by-products such as paste, molasses, and powder, the latter being an alternative to sugar. The focus of the export expansion will be the European and South American markets, which buy around 44,000 tonnes a year of the Egyptian fruit. New species, such as Al-Medjoul and Al-Barhi dates, are being cultivated to obtain more suitable products for exports. The Council also aims to increase the added value of exports, offering derivatives, such as powdered dates, and improving packaging. Amjad El-Kady, Executive Director of the Food Industry Technology ...