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Egypt exports to Japan grew 76% in first 5 months of 2020

December 16, 2020 at 1:28 pm

Fruit stall in Cairo, Egypt on 24 January 2012 [Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images]

Egyptian exports to Japan have risen to 76 per cent during the first five months of this year, amounting to $176 million compared to $100 million during the same period last year, according to Minister of Trade and Industry Nevein Gamea.

Imports to Egypt from the Japanese market grew by 18 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the same period the year before and are worth $443 million.

Gamea explained that most Egyptian exports to Japan were carpets, clothing, home appliances and dried agricultural crops. On the other hand, most Japanese imports were cars, home appliances, machinery, plastics and rubber.

Egypt is now considered to be the world’s top exporter of oranges by volume, surpassing Spain and South Africa, although these countries still make more in revenue with global demand for citrus fruits surging following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

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According to the global trade platform Fresh Plaza, Japan represents a new market for Egyptian oranges. One Egyptian fruit exporter’s marketing specialist, Wessam Taha, was quoted as stating: “Demand is always good for Egyptian oranges, but the market is ever-changing, so this year we’ll be focusing on a new market; Japan.”

“We feel that the South-East Asian market is the future for our company. Of course Europe will always remain to be important as well, and this year we expect them to buy more oranges than usual, as the Spanish are expected to have shortages due to rains.”

“Egypt and Japan have historical bilateral relations based on a long history of joint cooperation in various fields and at all levels,” Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt, Noke Masaki, has previously declared.

Masaki also expressed his country’s interest in developing stronger ties with Egypt and extended an invitation to the Egyptian government and business leaders to attend Expo 2025 which will be hosted in Osaka and expected to attract around 28 million people.

READ: Egypt, UK sign new trade agreement