Egyptian cherry tomato exports to Europe are still limited due to competition from other origins like Morocco. Mohamed Awwad, CEO of Al Awwad for Import and Export, explains, “We’re working to capture market share from Moroccan exporters, and we’ve been successful so far, as our export volumes to Europe have remained steady over the past few seasons.”
Awwad emphasizes that Egypt has key advantages, including more competitive pricing, high yields of 40-46 tonnes per hectare per season, and the absence of phytosanitary issues such as Tuta Absoluta or ToBRFV, which are present in Morocco. The timing of Egypt’s export season also aligns well with the European market, with shipments running from December to April.
Awwad notes that the main demand for Egyptian cherry tomatoes is currently from Eastern Europe. “Given that Egypt isn’t yet a major player, we plant specifically based on customer orders before the season begins,” he says. “We deliver to Eastern Europe through Koper to minimize transit time. If we find buyers in Western Europe, we can also deliver via RO-RO within a week.”
In closing, Awwad states, “We’ve been exporting to wholesalers with positive results, allowing us to stabilize production volumes over the last two seasons and maintain strong relationships with our customers. Our cherry tomatoes are of high quality, varying in size from a thumb tip to a golf ball, and can be either round or slightly oblong in shape.”
Awwad emphasizes that Egypt has key advantages, including more competitive pricing, high yields of 40-46 tonnes per hectare per season, and the absence of phytosanitary issues such as Tuta Absoluta or ToBRFV, which are present in Morocco. The timing of Egypt’s export season also aligns well with the European market, with shipments running from December to April.
