Egyptian Produce Exports: Statistics & Data (2026 Edition)
Last updated: 13 July 2026 · By the FoodGate Audit inspection team (ISO 17020 accredited) · Data verified as of July 2026 · Get a free quote in 24h →
Egypt is the world's largest orange exporter and Europe's largest non-EU supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables by volume. This page is a single reference for the most-asked numbers: how much Egypt produces and exports, which products dominate, who buys them, and how the quality record looks at the EU border. Every figure carries its source and year. Figures are updated for the 2026 edition; where marketing years (MY, e.g. July–June) differ from calendar years, this is stated.
For the analytical companion to this page — trends, causes and what the numbers mean for buyers — see the State of Egyptian Produce Quality 2026 report.
Key Figures at a Glance
| Indicator | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total agricultural exports (value) | US$11.5 billion (record, +8.5% y/y) | 2025 | Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture / State Information Service, Jan 2026 |
| Total agricultural exports (volume) | 9.5 million tonnes (+800,000 t y/y) | 2025 | Egyptian State Information Service, Jan 2026 |
| Export destinations | 167 countries, ~405 products | 2025 | Egyptian State Information Service, Jan 2026 |
| World rank, orange exports | #1 for the 6th consecutive year | 2025 | Egyptian State Information Service, Jan 2026 |
| Orange production forecast | 4.0 million tonnes (+~15%) | MY 2025/26 | USDA FAS Citrus Annual, 2026 |
| Orange exports forecast | 1.9 million tonnes | MY 2025/26 | USDA FAS, 2026 |
| Fresh produce shipped to Europe | ~917,000 tonnes — largest non-EU supplier by volume | 2024 | Selina Wamucii citing European market data, 2025 |
| EU agri-food imports from Egypt (value) | ~EUR 2,415 million | 2025 | European Commission agri-food trade monitoring, Feb 2026 |
| EU RASFF notifications, fruit/veg/herbs | 524 total (late 2019 – mid 2026), ~88/year | 2019–2026 | EU RASFF Window data, pulled July 2026 |
| World rank, frozen strawberries | #1 exporter, ~36% of world export value | 2025 | World's Top Exports trade data, 2025 |
The Big Picture: Production and Total Exports
Egypt's agricultural export engine set a record in 2025: US$11.5 billion in fresh and processed agricultural exports, up 8.5% year on year, on a volume of 9.5 million tonnes — an increase of more than 800,000 tonnes over 2024 (source: Egyptian State Information Service / Ministry of Agriculture, January 2026). Agricultural products now account for roughly 24% of Egypt's total exports and reach 167 countries (source: Egyptian State Information Service, 2026).
On the production side, the flagship crop keeps growing: USDA forecasts Egyptian orange production at 4.0 million tonnes in MY 2025/26, up about 15% on favourable weather and new orchards reaching maturity; oranges represent roughly 80% of Egypt's citrus output (source: USDA FAS Citrus Annual, 2026). Egypt is also one of the world's largest tomato producers, at more than 6 million tonnes a year (source: FAOSTAT, 2023) — although tomatoes are mostly consumed domestically rather than exported fresh.
The top export products by volume in 2025 (source: Egyptian State Information Service, January 2026):
| Rank | Product | Export volume 2025 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citrus fruits | ~2.0 million t | World's #1 orange exporter, 6th consecutive year |
| 2 | Potatoes | ~1.3 million t | Largest non-EU potato supplier to Europe |
| 3 | Sweet potatoes | 387,000 t | Sharp increase; Europe's leading supplier |
| — | Onions | 288,000 t | (source: TV BRICS citing Egyptian ministry, 2026) |
| — | Fresh grapes | 191,000 t | (source: FreshPlaza, 2025) |
| — | Fresh strawberries | ~64,000 t | (source: FreshPlaza, 2025) |
Exports by Flagship Product
Oranges and citrus
- Egyptian citrus exports hit a record 2.39 million tonnes in MY 2023/24, including ~1.93 million tonnes of oranges (source: USDA FAS Citrus Annual, 2024). For MY 2025/26, exports are forecast at 1.9 million tonnes, up from 1.8 million tonnes the prior year (source: USDA FAS, 2026).
- On a calendar-year basis, Egypt exported US$893.3 million / 843,783 tonnes of fresh oranges (HS 080510) in 2024 (source: UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024). Note: calendar-year customs data and July–June marketing-year data cover different windows; both are shown here with their labels.
- Top orange buyers in 2024 by value: Russia (US$145.6M), Saudi Arabia (US$118.9M), the Netherlands (US$83.45M / 78,824 t — the largest EU destination) (source: UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024). Saudi Arabia was Egypt's single largest orange market in MY 2023/24, with purchases up 25% year on year (source: USDA FAS Citrus Annual, 2024).
Sweet potatoes
- Egypt exported US$163.0 million / 128,330 tonnes of sweet potatoes in 2024, and has become Europe's leading supplier (source: UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024). In 2025 the ministry reported volume jumping to 387,000 tonnes (source: Egyptian State Information Service, 2026).
- Top markets 2024: Netherlands US$48.32M / 38,048 t (#1), United Kingdom US$31.3M (#2), Saudi Arabia US$22.2M (#3) (source: UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024).
- Egypt supplies 62.8% of Spain's sweet-potato imports (18,600 t, MY 2024/25; source: EastFruit, 2025) and more than 51% of France's (>40,000 t, MY 2024/25; source: EastFruit, 2025).
Strawberries — fresh and frozen
- Frozen is the powerhouse: Egypt is the world's #1 exporter of frozen strawberries, with export revenue of about US$697 million in 2025, up roughly 82% year on year — about 36% of world frozen-strawberry export value (source: World's Top Exports trade data, 2025).
- Poland alone bought 62,200 tonnes of Egyptian frozen strawberries in 2025 (worth over EUR 70 million), giving Egypt a 73.6% share of Polish frozen-strawberry imports (source: EastFruit, 2026). In Germany, Egypt held roughly a two-thirds share of frozen-strawberry supply in 2023 (source: FreshPlaza, 2023).
- Fresh strawberry exports were ~64,000 tonnes in 2025 (source: FreshPlaza, 2025), up from ~43,000 tonnes in 2023 (source: EastFruit, 2023).
Onions
- Exports reached 288,000 tonnes in 2025 (source: TV BRICS citing Egyptian ministry data, 2026), recovering after Egypt's export ban of October 2023 – March 2024 to protect domestic supply. EU imports of Egyptian onions fell to ~92,000–94,600 t in 2024 from ~135,000 t in 2023 because of that ban (source: FreshPlaza, 2025). Egypt remains the EU's leading third-country onion supplier (source: Revista Mercados, 2025).
Grapes
- Fresh grape exports totalled 191,000 tonnes in 2025 (source: FreshPlaza, 2025). Shipments to the EU set a record of ~75,000 tonnes in 2024, with the Netherlands and Germany taking 70–75% of the volume (source: AgriMaroc, 2025).
Potatoes
- Potatoes are Egypt's #2 export product at ~1.3 million tonnes in 2025 (source: Egyptian State Information Service, 2026), with more than 400,000 tonnes going to Europe in the 2023/24 season (source: Food Business MEA citing EU data, 2024). Standout growth: Spain multiplied purchases ~6x to 50,488 tonnes in 2024/25, making Egypt its #1 extra-EU potato supplier (source: Alimarket, 2025); Germany bought ~65,000 tonnes in 2023 (+17%) (source: FreshPlaza, 2023).
Where It All Goes: Destination Markets
Egypt shipped ~917,000 tonnes of fresh produce to Europe in 2024 (+7% y/y), making it Europe's largest non-EU supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables by volume — led by citrus (~500,000 t), sweet potatoes (~117,000 t), onions (~94,600 t) and grapes (~58,000 t) (source: Selina Wamucii citing European market data, 2025). In value terms, total EU agri-food imports from Egypt reached ~EUR 2,415 million in 2025, of which fruit & nuts ~EUR 848 million (35.1%) and vegetables ~EUR 681 million (28.2%); fruit & nut imports rose 19.3% versus 2024 (source: European Commission, Monitoring EU agri-food trade developments, February 2026).
| Market | Headline figures | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | #1 EU buyer of Egyptian oranges (US$83.5M / 78,824 t) and #1 world market for Egyptian sweet potatoes (US$48.3M / 38,048 t); handles ~38% of all EU fresh-produce imports as a re-export hub | 2024 | UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024; CBI, 2024 |
| Germany | >190,000 t of Egyptian produce imported in 2023; potatoes, frozen strawberries, grapes, onions and oranges = ~85% of volume; ~US$93M in H1 2024 | 2023–24 | FreshPlaza, 2023; Food Business MEA, 2024 |
| Spain | Egypt = 62.8% of sweet-potato imports (18,600 t, MY 2024/25); 50,488 t of potatoes (2024/25, #1 extra-EU supplier); Egyptian orange shipments into Europe doubled in Jan 2024 (45,281 t, +104%) | 2024–25 | EastFruit, 2025; Alimarket, 2025; Valencia Plaza, 2024 |
| Poland | F&V imports from Egypt: US$36M (2019) → US$85M (2023); #1 frozen-strawberry supplier (62,200 t, 73.6% share, 2025); #3 orange supplier | 2023–25 | EastFruit, 2024 & 2026 |
| France | 42,700 t of Egyptian oranges (2024, +26%; #3 supplier, 9.7% of imports); >51% of French sweet-potato imports (>40,000 t, MY 2024/25) | 2024–25 | EastFruit, 2025 |
| United Kingdom | #2 world market for Egyptian sweet potatoes (US$31.3M) | 2024 | UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024 |
| Russia | #1 orange buyer by value (US$145.6M) | 2024 | UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024 |
| Gulf (GCC) | Egypt = #1 fresh F&V supplier to the six GCC states by value at ~US$750M; Saudi Arabia = Egypt's largest orange market (MY 2023/24, +25% y/y); Egypt holds ~7% of UAE fresh-fruit imports | 2023–24 | FreshPlaza, 2024; USDA FAS, 2024; Mordor Intelligence, 2024 |
Practical import guides per market: Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Poland, France, Gulf / Saudi Arabia & UAE.
Quality and Compliance: What the EU Border Data Shows
The EU's RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) is the most objective public record of quality issues at the border. Key statistics for Egyptian fruit, vegetables and herbs (source: EU RASFF Window data, 2019–2026, pulled July 2026; full analysis on our RASFF Egypt Monitor):
| RASFF indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total notifications (28 Nov 2019 – 6 Jul 2026) | 524 |
| Average per year (2021–2025) | ~88 |
| Share of flagged substances that are pesticide residues | 66.5% (636 of 957 hazard mentions) |
| Most-cited single substance | Chlorpyrifos family — 197 notifications (~1 in 3) |
| Most-notified commodity | Citrus/oranges — 184 notifications (35%) |
| Border rejections (caught before market) | 260 of 524 (49.6%) |
| Last 12 months vs previous 12 | 109 vs 86 (+26.7%) |
| Citrus trend, last 12 months | 25 vs 33 (−24%, improving) |
| Aflatoxin-family mentions (entire dataset) | 4 — Egyptian produce carries virtually no mycotoxin risk |
For risk-profile context (not a safety ranking — counts are not normalised by export volume): over the same filter and period, Türkiye logged 2,349 notifications, dominated by mycotoxins, and Morocco 89, dominated like Egypt by pesticide residues (source: EU RASFF Window data, 2026).
On the regulatory side, the EU sets increased border-control frequencies for specific Egyptian products under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1206 (in force 30 June 2026) (source: EUR-Lex, 2026):
| Product (Egypt, Annex I) | Hazard | Identity & physical check rate |
|---|---|---|
| Vine leaves | Pesticide residues | 50% |
| Sweet & other peppers | Pesticide residues | 30% |
| Sugar apple (Annona squamosa) | Pesticide residues | 30% |
| Mango | Pesticide residues | 20% |
| Strawberries (fresh, chilled or frozen) | Pesticide residues | 20% |
| Oranges (fresh or dried) | Pesticide residues | 10% |
No fresh Egyptian fruit or vegetable is subject to Annex II special conditions (official certificate); the only Egypt entry in Annex II is groundnuts, for aflatoxins (source: Regulation (EU) 2026/1206, EUR-Lex, 2026). How pre-shipment inspection addresses exactly these risks is covered in our guide to food inspection in Egypt.
Seasonality
Egypt's export calendar is counter-seasonal to Europe: citrus runs roughly December–June (peaking January–April), strawberries November–March fresh (frozen year-round), onions and potatoes from late winter through summer, grapes May–July, and sweet potatoes essentially year-round with an autumn–winter peak. RASFF notifications track the same rhythm — pooled across all years, March is the peak month for notifications (68), followed by April (61) and February (54), with the low in August (24) (source: EU RASFF Window data, 2019–2026), reflecting the citrus/strawberry export window. Full month-by-month product availability is on the Egyptian produce season calendar.
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Get a Free Quote →Frequently asked questions
Q: How much produce does Egypt export?
Egypt exported 9.5 million tonnes of agricultural products worth a record US$11.5 billion in 2025, to 167 countries (source: Egyptian State Information Service, January 2026). Fresh fruit and vegetables dominate: citrus alone accounts for ~2 million tonnes, potatoes ~1.3 million tonnes.
Q: What is Egypt's biggest produce export?
Oranges. Egypt is the world's largest orange exporter for the sixth consecutive year (source: Egyptian State Information Service, 2026), exporting around 1.8–1.9 million tonnes of oranges per marketing year (source: USDA FAS, 2026) out of a production forecast at 4 million tonnes for MY 2025/26.
Q: Who buys Egyptian oranges?
By value in 2024: Russia (US$145.6M), Saudi Arabia (US$118.9M) and the Netherlands (US$83.5M / 78,824 t) were the top three, with the Netherlands the largest EU gateway (source: UN Comtrade via WITS, 2024). Saudi Arabia was the single largest market in MY 2023/24 (source: USDA FAS, 2024).
Q: How much does the EU import from Egypt?
EU agri-food imports from Egypt reached about EUR 2,415 million in 2025 — roughly EUR 848 million in fruit & nuts and EUR 681 million in vegetables (source: European Commission agri-food trade monitoring, February 2026). By volume, Egypt shipped ~917,000 tonnes of fresh produce to Europe in 2024, more than any other non-EU country (source: Selina Wamucii, 2025).
Q: Is Egypt really the world's biggest frozen-strawberry exporter?
Yes. Egypt led the world in 2025 with about US$697 million in frozen-strawberry exports — roughly 36% of global export value (source: World's Top Exports trade data, 2025). Poland is the largest single buyer, taking 62,200 tonnes in 2025, 73.6% of its frozen-strawberry imports (source: EastFruit, 2026).
Q: How safe is Egyptian produce according to EU data?
The EU logged 524 RASFF notifications on Egyptian fruit, vegetables and herbs from late 2019 to mid 2026 — about 88 per year against many thousands of consignments, and two-thirds of flagged substances are pesticide residues that pre-shipment testing can catch at origin (source: EU RASFF Window data, 2026). Egyptian produce shows virtually no mycotoxin risk (4 mentions in the entire dataset). Detailed breakdown: RASFF Egypt Monitor and the State of Egyptian Produce Quality 2026.
Sources
- Egyptian State Information Service — Egypt's farm exports hit record $11.5 bln in 2025, volumes up to 9.5 mln tons (Jan 2026): https://sis.gov.eg/en/media-center/news/egypt-s-farm-exports-hit-record-115-bln-in-2025-volumes-up-to-95-mln-tons/
- Ahram Online — Egypt agricultural exports surge by 8.5% to $11.5 bln in 2025 (2026): https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/561018.aspx
- USDA FAS — Egypt Citrus Annual (2024): https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/egypt-citrus-annual-8
- USDA FAS — Citrus: World Markets and Trade (2026): https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/citrus-world-markets-and-trade
- Citrus Industry Magazine — Egyptian Orange Crop to Increase (Jan 2026): https://citrusindustry.net/2026/01/15/egyptian-orange-crop-increase/
- UN Comtrade via WITS — Egypt orange exports 2024 (HS 080510): https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/EGY/year/2024/tradeflow/Exports/partner/ALL/product/080510
- UN Comtrade via WITS — Egypt sweet-potato exports 2024 (HS 071420): https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/EGY/year/2024/tradeflow/Exports/partner/ALL/product/071420
- European Commission — Monitoring EU agri-food trade developments (Feb 2026): https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/document/download/94f6ec51-bae0-4807-bb48-828f38a46717_en?filename=monitoring-agri-food-trade_feb2026_en.pdf
- EUR-Lex — Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1206 (2026): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1206/oj/eng
- EU RASFF Window — public notifications database (data pulled July 2026): https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search
- Selina Wamucii — Egypt emerges top non-EU exporter of horticultural exports to Europe (2025): https://www.selinawamucii.com/news/2025/01/15/egypt-emerges-top-non-eu-exporter-of-horticultural-exports-to-europe/
- Food Business MEA — Egypt ranks as Europe's second-largest fresh produce exporter (2024): https://www.foodbusinessmea.com/egypt-ranks-as-europes-second-largest-fresh-produce-exporter/
- CBI (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — Dutch market potential for fresh fruit & vegetables (2024): https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/fresh-fruit-vegetables/netherlands/market-potential
- FreshPlaza — Vegetables and fruits top Egypt's exports to Germany (2023): https://www.freshplaza.com/europe/article/9658147/vegetables-and-fruits-top-egypt-s-exports-to-germany/
- Food Business MEA — Egypt's fresh produce exports to Germany flourish with 25% surge (2024): https://www.foodbusinessmea.com/egypts-fresh-produce-exports-to-germany-flourish-with-25-surge/
- EastFruit — Egypt quadruples sweet potato exports to Spain, becomes leading supplier (2025): https://east-fruit.com/en/news/egypt-quadruples-sweet-potato-exports-to-spain-becomes-leading-supplier/
- Alimarket — Egyptian potatoes in the Spanish 2024/25 campaign (2025): https://www.alimarket.es/alimentacion/noticia/387150/la-escasez-en-la-siembra-y-la-irrupcion-de-egipto-como-proveedor-marcan-la-campana-de-patata
- EastFruit — Egypt becomes Poland's leading supplier of frozen strawberries in 2025 (2026): https://east-fruit.com/en/news/egypt-becomes-polands-leading-supplier-of-frozen-strawberries-in-2025/
- EastFruit — Poland more than doubles fruit and vegetable imports from Egypt 2019–2023 (2024): https://east-fruit.com/en/news/poland-more-than-doubles-fruit-and-vegetable-imports-from-egypt-in-2019-2023/
- EastFruit — Egypt orange exports to France increase, revenue declines (2025): https://east-fruit.com/en/news/egypt-orange-exports-to-france-increase-revenue-declines/
- EastFruit — Egypt doubles sweet potato exports to France, new record in MY 2024/25 (2025): https://east-fruit.com/en/news/egypt-doubles-sweet-potato-exports-to-france-setting-a-new-record-in-my-2024-25/
- FreshPlaza — Global market overview onions (2025): https://www.freshplaza.com/europe/article/9810294/global-market-overview-onions/
- FreshPlaza — Egypt exports 7.5 million tons of produce in 2025: https://www.freshplaza.com/latin-america/article/9771779/egypt-exports-7-5-million-tons-of-produce-in-2025/
- AgriMaroc — Egypt: new record for fresh grape exports to the EU in 2024 (2025): https://www.agrimaroc.ma/egypte-nouveau-record-exportations-raisins-frais-ue-2024/
- World's Top Exports — Top strawberries exporters by country (2025): https://www.worldstopexports.com/top-strawberries-exporters-by-country/
- FreshPlaza — Gulf states' imports grow, United Arab Emirates becomes a hub (2024): https://www.freshplaza.com/north-america/article/9629853/gulf-states-imports-grow-united-arab-emirates-becomes-a-hub/
- TV BRICS — Egypt's agricultural exports reach record US$11.5 billion in 2025 (2026): https://tvbrics.com/en/news/egypt-s-agricultural-exports-reach-record-us-11-5-billion-in-2025/
- FAOSTAT — Crops and livestock products, Egypt (2023): https://www.fao.org/faostat/
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