Walid Battal
In 2023/2024, Egyptian sweet potato shipments to the European Union increased by 45% to reach 109,000 tonnes. According to data provided by the specialist site East Fruit, this is a historic record which allows the Egyptian sector to supplant the United States – the world’s leading exporter – to become the main supplier to the EU.
Egyptian exports benefited from strong growth in demand. This breakthrough is explained by growth in European demand. Exports to France increased by 70%, and by 50 to 60% to Italy and Romania. Germany has almost tripled its imports while Spain has quintupled them.
Overall, the Netherlands remains the main buyer for the Egyptian sector, accounting for nearly 60% of shipments, or around 65,000 tonnes, followed by France and Italy. As a reminder, Egypt is the leading African exporter of sweet potatoes and the 3rd globally after the United States and the Netherlands. In 2023, Egyptian shipments of this tuber to the international market brought in $127.5 million for the country.
Source: Ecofin Agency