Arab Finance: Engineer Hassan Al-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, participated in the opening activities of the ninth session of the “Food Africa”, “Fresh Africa” and “Pack Process” exhibition, which was held during the period from 3 to 5 December at the Egypt International Exhibition Center, on an area of 45 thousand square meters. With the participation of 1,018 companies representing 39 countries, the most prominent of which are Germany, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, India, Poland and Russia. Turkey also participates as a guest of honor in the exhibition. The exhibition includes the sectors of food industries, agricultural crops, dates, packaging, and food manufacturing machines, and is held under the patronage of the Ministries of Investment, Foreign Trade, Industry, and Supply.
The Minister pointed out that the economically growing African market is a fundamental focus of the state’s attention in recent years, as it strives to promote development and economic integration with this market and conclude many agreements, noting that this exhibition aims to consolidate the successes achieved for food industry exports in recent years, During the year 2024, it reached about $4.6 billion by the end of last September, achieving a growth rate estimated at about 18%, compared to exports for the same period in 2023, which It amounted to about $3.9 billion, making it the highest export value and the largest growth rate achieved by the food industry export sector historically.
Al-Khatib pointed out that Arab countries came at the top of the list of countries importing Egyptian food industries during that period, followed by European Union countries, then non-Arab African countries, then the United States of America, followed by the rest of the international groups.
The minister explained that as for the world's most important countries importing Egyptian food industries during the first nine months of 2024, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupied first place, followed by Sudan, Palestine, Libya, then the Netherlands, Jordan, Morocco and Spain.
Al-Khatib pointed out that agricultural exports to this market during the last season 2023/2024 amounted to about 125 thousand tons with an estimated value of only about 80 million dollars, pointing out that the presence of Egyptian agricultural exports in the African market is one of the state’s most important strategies towards this pivotal and important market. Which is considered a strategic and political extension of the Egyptian state.
Al-Khatib pointed out that Egyptian agricultural exports occupy an advanced position in the list of Egyptian exports, as they reached about 7.1 million tons during the first ten months of 2024, with a value of about 4.1 billion dollars, with an increase in value exceeding one billion dollars over the same period last year, pointing out that Citrus fruits come at the forefront of Egyptian agricultural exports with about 2.3 million tons, making Egypt ranked first in the world in orange exports.
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