Egypt leads world in citrus exports amidst strategic agricultural overhaul

Egypt strengthened its position as the world's leading exporter of oranges, underpinned by a national strategy focused on boosting agricultural productivity and global competitiveness. This is reported by Sada El-Balad, a partner of TV BRICS.

Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk outlined the government's integrated approach, aligning food security needs with the "Egypt Vision 2030" and Sustainable Development Goals. A key focus is the efficient utilisation of natural resources, particularly water and land, alongside enhancing value through strategic agricultural industrialisation.

The Ministry of Agriculture is prioritising support for Egyptian farmers through access to modern technologies and continuous training initiatives. Parallel efforts are underway to open new international markets for Egyptian produce and bolster research into crop varieties suited to local conditions.

Innovation in intelligent digital agriculture, digital intelligence, and artificial intelligence in field management is also being championed.

Minister Farouk emphasised the significance of developing a comprehensive national plan connecting agricultural production, processing industries, and marketing strategies. The strategy includes providing fiscal incentives to investors in the agro-industrial sector and establishing a National Agricultural Marketing Platform to coordinate exports.

Expanding training programmes and capacity-building initiatives for farmers and young people are also crucial components, along with regular monitoring and comprehensive performance evaluations.

Efforts are underway to establish Egyptian regional centres for agricultural expertise transfer in Africa, as well as to pursue bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to broaden market access. Logistical complexes and modern export hubs near ports and airports are also being developed.

Photo: paulobaqueta / iStock