Egypt ships 280,000 tonnes of food exports in a week

Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) announced on Sunday, May 24, 2026, that 5,440 food export consignments weighing a combined 280,000 tons were shipped between May 16 and May 22 by 1,484 exporting companies.

According to the NFSA’s 19th weekly report for 2026, the exports covered around 760 food products, including fruits, vegetables, tubers, flour and grain products, processed foods, and other food commodities.

Fruit exports included 36 varieties totaling 88,000 tonnes, with citrus fruits leading at 54,000 tonnes, followed by strawberries at approximately 17,000 tonnes and grapes at 12,000 tons.

Vegetable exports reached 47,000 tonnes across 44 varieties, led by potatoes at 11,000 tonnes, while sweet potatoes and onions each recorded around 8,000 tonnes.

The Netherlands emerged as the largest importer of Egyptian food exports during the week, followed by Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Libya, and Sudan, among a total of 191 importing countries.

Among Egyptian ports, Damietta handled the highest number of export consignments with 965 shipments, followed by Safaga Port with 940 and Alexandria Port with 757.

During the same period, Egypt also received 2,060 food import consignments totaling nearly 300,000 tonnes through 900 importing companies. Key imported products included wheat, soybeans, and various oils.

Russia ranked as the leading exporter of food products to Egypt, followed by Brazil, the United States, Argentina, and Indonesia, among 83 exporting countries.

Alexandria Port processed the largest number of incoming food consignments with 687 shipments, followed by Cairo International Airport with 412 and Damietta Port with 281.

The NFSA also reported that 1,204 consignments were cleared under temporary release procedures, while 447 consignments were processed through the fast-track clearance system. Violations were recorded for 57 consignments, and import licenses were issued to 92 importers during the week.