Egypt overtakes coronavirus-hit Spain as the world’s top orange exporter

The lockdowns and limits to people’s movements, imposed by several governments to thwart the spread of the coronavirus in Europe, have made Egypt overtaking Spain as the world’s top orange exporter.

Since the beginning of 2020, Egypt’s total exports of oranges hit 1.3 million tonnes, said Ahmed el Attar, Head of the Central Administration for Agricultural Quarantine, on Thursday.

There is a growing global demand for Egyptian agricultural products, which are characterised by their high quality, el Attar added.

The Spanish markets had imported this year around 3,000 tonnes of Egyptian oranges, he said.