In W38 in the mango landscape, China and Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding allowing Egyptian mangoes into the Chinese market. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and deputy director of China's General Administration of Customs. This development is seen as a significant milestone in Egypt-China trade relations and is forecasted to boost the presence of Egyptian agricultural products in the Chinese market. Egypt is the world's tenth-largest exporter of mangoes, offering more than 30 varieties. Prevalent mango varieties from Egypt include Zebda, Mabrouka, Sideka, Awees, Keitt, Kent, Tommy Atkins, and Naomi. These mangoes are exported to over 50 countries, with key markets being some European and Arab countries. The mango planting area in Egypt has exceeded 90 thousand hectares (ha), and the annual mango export volume reached approximately 53 thousand tons in 2023. The Egyptian mango harvest typically begins in July and continues until November.
Furthermore, Egypt has set a new record for mango exports to Saudi Arabia in 2022, becoming the largest supplier to this market again after a drop in exports in 2021 due to adverse weather conditions. By the end of 2022, Saudi Arabia imported 34 thousand tons of Egyptian mangoes, a 60% increase from the previous year. The export season typically peaks from July to November. In the first half of 2023, Saudi Arabia imported 54 thousand tons of mangoes, primarily from Yemen. Mango production in Egypt is highly weather-dependent, and factors like sunburn on the fruit can impact exports. Saudi Arabia has steadily increased its mango imports since 2019 and could reach new records, depending on Egypt's production situation in the second half of 2023. Saudi Arabia's mango imports are primarily from Egypt and Yemen, with minimal competition between the two countries in the Saudi market. Other sources of mango imports for Saudi Arabia include Pakistan, India, Kenya, and South Africa, each with its seasonal contributions to the market.
Lastly, the first shipment of fresh Philippine mangoes was exported to Sydney and Perth, Australia, on September 8, 2023, for the first time in about two decades. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry approved the trade to begin on August 30, 2023, ensuring strict adherence to the specific commodity understanding for importing fresh mango fruit from the Philippines to Australia. Mangoes are the most widely consumed tropical fruit in the Philippines, where mangoes are grown all year round. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) predicts a 2% increase in mango production in Q1-23 to 95.8 thousand metric tons (mt) from 94 thousand mt in Q2-22. Fresh Philippine mango exports increased from 8.8 thousand mt in 2018 to 11.4 thousand mt in 2022, with Hong Kong being the primary market.