Egypt opens Panamanian market to oranges, lemons, mandarins, grapefruit

Egypt has opened the Panamanian market to four citrus exports – oranges, lemons, mandarins, and grapefruit – Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk said on Thursday.

The move builds on efforts by Egyptian agricultural quarantine authorities to expand market access in Latin America.

A joint memo from the agriculture ministry’s Agricultural Services Sector and the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) said technical and diplomatic coordination led Panama to adopt Egypt’s regulatory framework and publish official import requirements in its government gazette.

CAPQ Head Mohamed El-Mansi said technical negotiations with Panama helped establish phytosanitary standards aimed at ensuring Egyptian citrus meets international requirements.

Farouk said diversifying export destinations was key to reducing reliance on traditional markets, strengthening trade resilience amid geopolitical challenges and boosting foreign currency earnings. Egypt is among the world’s leading citrus exporters, he added.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English