Egypt handled 230,000 tonnes of food exports in one week
Italy emerged as the top importer as Egypt processed over 3,800 export consignments and 340,000 tonnes of food imports in a week.
Egypt exported 9,000 tonnes of strawberries in one week, making it the country’s second-largest fruit export. Photo: Libertyprim
Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) reported that the country handled 3,812 food export consignments totalling approximately 230,000 tonnes between May 2 and May 8, 2026, according to the authority’s 17th weekly report for the year. The exports were carried out by 1,480 companies and covered around 760 different food products destined for 191 countries worldwide. Italy ranked as the leading importer of Egyptian food products during the week, followed by Saudi Arabia, Libya, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Fruit exports accounted for 57,000 tonnes across 39 product categories. Citrus remained the leading export commodity with 40,000 tonnes, followed by strawberries at 9,000 tonnes and mixed fruits at 8,000 tonnes. Vegetable exports reached 36,000 tonnes across 48 categories. Potatoes led shipments at 9,000 tonnes, followed by sweet potatoes at 8,000 tonnes and mixed vegetables at 5,000 tonnes. On the import side, Egypt received 1,632 food consignments totalling around 340,000 tonnes through 768 importing companies. Major imported commodities included wheat, soybeans and broad beans.
Russia emerged as the largest food exporter to Egypt during the reporting period, followed by Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom and India, among a total of 80 exporting countries. Alexandria Port handled the largest number of export consignments with 667 shipments, followed by Damietta Port with 545 consignments and Safaga Port with 512. Alexandria Port also led import activity, receiving 485 consignments, followed by Cairo International Airport with 336 consignments and Port Said with 207.
The authority stated that it issued 1,250 export health certificates during the week to support compliance with international food safety standards and strengthen confidence in Egyptian exports. Additionally, 972 consignments were released under temporary supervision procedures, while 420 consignments were cleared through the fast-track system. The authority also issued 94 import licenses during the same period.