Egypt sees sharp increase in dried onion exports to Germany reaching US$18.5M

EGYPT – Egyptian dried onion exports to Germany surged to 5.7 tons in 2024, generating over US$18.5 million.

According to EastFruit, this represents a 1.5-fold increase from the previous year, marking the highest volume recorded so far.

Egypt’s dried onion exports to Germany have grown consistently over the past six years, except for 2023. Shipments occur year-round, with peak volumes in April and September.

Egypt is now Germany’s second-largest supplier of dried onions, behind India. In 2019, Egypt held 13.1% of Germany’s dried onion imports. By 2022, this figure had risen to 20%, reaching a record 23.2% by the end of 2024.

This growth is part of a broader increase in Egyptian agricultural exports. In 2023, Germany imported over 190,000 tons of fresh, frozen, and dried produce from Egypt, a 25% increase from the previous year.

Strong performance in key crops

Egypt’s main exports to Germany include potatoes, frozen strawberries, grapes, onions, and oranges, making up nearly 85% of total shipments. Each product saw growth compared to the previous year.

Potato exports rose by 17% to 65,000 tons, while grape shipments increased by 50% to 21,000 tons. Onion and orange exports more than doubled to 16,000 tons and 10,000 tons, respectively. Frozen strawberry exports remained stable at 50,000 tons.

Egypt plays a vital role in Germany’s agricultural market. It leads in frozen strawberry imports, holding nearly two-thirds of the market share.

For potatoes and onions, Egypt ranks as the top non-EU supplier, though it trails the Netherlands and France for potatoes and the Netherlands and Spain for onions. In the grape and orange categories, Egypt ranks fifth behind Spain, South Africa, and others.

Other Egyptian agricultural exports to Germany include sweet potatoes, leeks, dried onions, fresh strawberries, garlic, and mangoes.

Egypt’s garlic season begins

Alongside onion exports, Egypt’s garlic season has begun. Production is expected to be high this year after a lower yield last season, according to FreshPlaza.

Mohamed Shaaban, CEO of Garlico, confirmed that shipments of wet green garlic to Europe began on February 20.

He stated that 80% dry garlic shipments would follow by April 10, with 100% dry garlic available by April 25. The season will continue until October.

“The area planted with garlic this season is much larger than last year. I’d even say it’s almost doubled. Last year, supply was so low that even the local Egyptian market suffered, and prices were very expensive,” Shaaban added.

He also highlighted favorable weather conditions, saying the absence of fog and heavy rain had improved garlic quality. Larger bulbs will go to retail markets, while smaller ones will be used for processing.

Egypt faces little competition in the garlic market. Shaaban explained that Spain has limited supply and high prices, Argentina’s season is ending, and China faces high tariffs in markets like Brazil and the U.S.

While demand is strong, Shaaban assured that increased production would help keep prices reasonable. He emphasized that both buyers and sellers would benefit from fair pricing.

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