The Egyptian blueberry season is coming to an end. It was marked by a drop in prices, but yields and sizes improve towards the end of the season, according to Karim Fayed, operations director at the Fayed Agricultural Development Company (FATA).
Fayed says: “We finish the current 2024 season in a few weeks. The end of the campaign is very good in terms of output and caliber, which should help us achieve our goals. This year the Egyptian climate was erratic, meaning the plant behaved differently depending on the climate. We had a few cold spells and a few intense heat of over 40 degrees, which occurred during harvest, resulting in irregular fruit and harvest cycles. Weather conditions are our biggest challenge, alongside the heavy capital investment required for new plantings. »
The season saw an increase in cultivated areas, reflecting the attractiveness of the sector, Fayed adds: “The area devoted to blueberries in Egypt is generally increasing, and rapidly. We are already seeing new breeders arriving in Egypt with some of the most exclusive varieties, putting the country on the map of blueberry producers. The product is attracting a lot of interest, both domestically from farms and internationally from retailers, traders and breeders. »
According to Fayed, the Asian and Middle Eastern markets are currently the main destination for Egyptian blueberries. “These markets are an important factor for the production of Egyptian blueberries for export, due to the possibility of transporting small volumes several times a week by air. We currently sell to many Asian countries on a weekly basis via air freight. »
“Next comes the European market, but with the arrival of Spain at the start of the year it quickly became very competitive and at our current scale we only send small volumes by air twice a week , which means that our price is not competitive with large Spanish volumes. »
Prices of Egyptian blueberries have fallen compared to last season, but there is no need to worry, according to Fayed. He explains: “This year, export prices are on average 40-50% lower than last year, but we believe this year’s prices accurately reflect the market. Last year’s high prices were solely due to harsh weather conditions in Morocco, which impacted volumes and therefore left a big gap in the market. »
Faced with fierce competition from Morocco, which established itself on the markets well before Egypt, and the emergence of blueberry production in Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Fayed remains optimistic. He concludes: “I think there is room for all these countries. The seasonality is similar, but blueberries are becoming more popular and demand is increasing. In addition, blueberries are starting to be consumed in different ways and can be found on your plate with all your daily meals, in a salad, yogurt, juice, dessert, or simply as a snack at the office. »
For more information :
Karim Fayed
Fayed Agricultural Development Company (FATA)
Such. : +201001499959
[email protected]
www.fata.com.eg
