Egypt opens new lemon export market in El Salvador – minister

Egypt has secured access to El Salvador’s market for its lemon exports, the country’s Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk said on Tuesday, in a step towards expanding its agricultural trade and reaching new markets beyond its traditional partners.

The agreement follows months of technical negotiations between agricultural quarantine authorities in both countries to ensure that Egyptian lemons meet international standards for plant health and quality.

“This achievement is the result of bilateral technical meetings with Salvadoran officials, as well as consultations with representatives from several other countries to advance market access efforts,” said Mohamed El-Mansi, head of Egypt’s Central Administration of Plant Quarantine (CAPQ). “We are seeing strong positive indicators for opening additional markets to a range of Egyptian agricultural products in the near future.”

The agreement with El Salvador was finalised after Egypt’s participation in the 20th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-20), an international forum that sets standards to prevent the spread of pests and diseases while facilitating agricultural trade. For Egypt, such forums are not only technical gatherings but also opportunities to forge new trade relationships.

To implement the deal, Egyptian authorities issued detailed export guidelines outlining the phytosanitary requirements for shipments to El Salvador. These have been circulated to ports and inspection offices, and exporters have been notified to ensure compliance before shipping.

The move reflects a wider push by Egypt to increase agricultural exports, which are seen as an important source of foreign currency. In recent years, the government has also sought to improve monitoring and traceability systems to maintain the quality of its produce and strengthen its competitiveness abroad.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English