The Rise in Egyptian Grape Production Boosts Expectations for Export Growth

The production of fresh table grapes in Egypt has become increasingly important, and in terms of quantity, it ranks second behind citrus production. The weather conditions for the 2021/22 season have positively affected grape growers. According to the USDA GAIN report, for MY 2021/2022, production is expected to reach 1.42M mt, and exports are forecasted at 170,000 mt.

2021 was marked by heatwaves that hit Egypt in March and April, and strong winds affected the flowering period of early varieties, which led to lower production in 2021. Production decreased by 10.69% from 1.59M mt in 2020. This season, the weather was favorable with no extremes. In general, the most considerable losses in the production of table grapes were caused by fungal diseases, rot, and powdery mildew. For these diseases to develop and spread, three conditions are necessary: ​​the plant must be in the appropriate phenophase (flowering, fruit ripening), the proper temperature, and precipitation. If only one of these three conditions is not met, the infection will not occur. Since the climate in Egypt is without frequent rainfall, there is no need for often phytosanitary treatments. In addition to favorable weather conditions for table grapes, Egyptian farmers adopted new cultivation technologies and introduced new grape varieties with firmer berries and better taste and appearance. Flame, Thomson, Crimson, Early Sweet, and Sugra One are traditionally grown varieties. New varieties such as early red seedless Starlight and mid-season black seedless Maylen, Early Superior, and Superior are slowly taking their place. The introduction of new types results from listening to the EU market, which is the most demanding grape quality.

The EU remains the most important export destination, but other markets also see an increase in table grape imports from Egypt. According to Egypt’s Agricultural Export Administration, other countries showing rising demand were South Korea, Canada, Hong Kong, Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Russia. The countries with the highest growth were South Korea, increasing 255%. Also, Egypt is gaining market access for its table grapes to India, Myanmar, Nepal, Brazil, and Serbia, based on established interstate cooperation and bilateral agreements in the previous period. With the rise in production and diversification of markets for table grapes, expectations are that export will show growth.