Egypt's Mango Mission: Sweetening the Global Market

Updated 8/13/2024 8:00:00 AM

Egypt's mango industry has the potential to become a cornerstone of the country's agricultural economy. With its abundant sunshine and fertile lands, Egypt is well-poised to be a leading mango producer.

However, the industry has yet to reach its full potential due to market challenges and competitive pressures. By addressing these challenges and understanding the mango industry's landscape, the country can strengthen its position on the global stage.

Egypt's Mango Industry: A Rising Star on the Global Stage

Egypt is already a major global player in mango production, with thriving cultivation across the northern Nile Delta, Upper Egypt, and Suez Canal regions.

The country's mango production is steadily rising, with projections indicating a harvest of nearly 1.9 million metric tons by 2026. This reflects a 2.9% annual increase from the 1.6 million metric tons produced in 2021, according to 'Egypt Mango Industry Outlook 2022-2026' by ReportLinker. In 2021, Egypt ranked 8th in global mango production, following Brazil, Indonesia, China, and Mexico.

From 2016 to 2023, Egypt ranked 5th among the top 10 exporters of fresh mango, data by Tridge showed. In 2023 alone, Egypt’s mango export value grew by 27.4% to $133.57 million from 2022, holding a 5.7% share of the global fresh mango export market.

As per a report by the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) on Egypt’s 10 key agricultural exports in 2022, mango exports reached about 76,000 tons.

Challenges and Opportunities in Egypt's Mango Export Industry

Despite its potential, Egypt's mango industry faces several challenges that hinder its competitiveness in the global market. These obstacles require strategic interventions to overcome them.

The 2024 fresh mango season kicked off in July, but expectations for export volumes are low. Strong domestic demand has diverted much of the supply to the local market.

Even if exported, prices are anticipated to be low due to the necessary sorting and grading processes. As a result, most suppliers have opted to prioritize domestic sales over exports, as noted by Tridge.

Several hurdles affect Egypt's mango export sector. Post-harvest losses are exacerbated by inefficient sorting and grading processes, high costs, and a shortage of skilled labor. Furthermore, poor transportation infrastructure, high internal shipping costs, limited financing options, and a lack of export insurance further impede the industry’s growth.

Market intelligence is another critical gap, with insufficient data on international prices, buyer demands, and market conditions, as mentioned in Ayat Soliman Mostafa Mohamed's Master’s thesis entitled 'Economic Study of Key Production and Export Indicators of Mango Crops in Egypt’ published by the University of Assiut.

Strategies for Revitalization and Global Competitiveness

To boost Egypt's mango industry on the global stage, several key strategies can be implemented to enhance global competitiveness and achieve sustainable growth.

Aligned with Egypt Vision 2030, the country’s sustainable agricultural development strategy aims to bolster the competitiveness of agricultural products in both local and international markets and increase fresh and processed agricultural exports.

Strategies to elevate mango exports and their returns include encouraging farmers to increase cultivation areas while raising the crop price and announcing it in advance*. Boosting the crop’s competitiveness in foreign markets is also a driver.

This can be achieved by supporting exporters in facing intense global competition and encouraging research into the field of production and breeding to come up with disease-resistant varieties of mango, as highlighted in Mohamed's study.

Producing early-ripening mango varieties could allow Egypt to supply markets during periods when production is not available in European Union (EU) countries. Additionally, targeting exports to the Lebanese market during the customs duty exemption period, from February to March, could back Egypt’s export opportunities, Mohamed’s study explained.

The country also needs to create an integrated database on mango export markets and competing countries, as Mohamed mentioned in her study, adding that encouraging intra-regional trade within Arab economic blocs is needed. This is along with working on local packaging solutions to lower reliance on imports.

Egypt's mango industry holds a great promise for driving economic growth and creating jobs. opportunities. While the country has made progress in production and exports, overcoming existing challenges is crucial for unlocking the sector's full potential.

By focusing on strategies, such as enhancing post-harvest management, building strong brands, and expanding market access, Egypt can position itself among the global leaders in the mango industry.

By Sarah Samir