Libya considers ban on Egyptian fruit and vegetables

The Libyan Food and Drugs Control Centre has called on authorities to ban Egyptian exports of fruit and vegetables due to growing concerns over contamination and poor import checks at the border.

The Food and Drugs Authority has also highlighted a number of Egyptian drinks and processed foods as unfit for human consumption for containing banned additives, concerns of which have only been raised now.

Some have questioned whether the move is politically motivated after Egypt’s recent support for General Khalifa Haftar and the Libyan National Army.

It is unlikely the ban will take place as most fresh fruit and vegetable are imported from Tunisia with the eastern imports from Egypt facing no objection from the Beida-based administration.

Libya’s ban request follows Saudi Arabia and the US placing a ban on certain products after Egyptian agricultural products were found to contain traces of sewage water and funerary products discovered in Egyptian cheese.

Russia also imposed a ban on Egyptian imports, although the move was seen as politically motivated after Egypt rejected a shipment of Russian flour and wheat for allegedly containing the toxic substance.