Egypt is a big market for agricultural products, fruits, and vegetables because it is endowed with the Nile River, fertile land, and mild weather. Moreover, Egyptian vegetables are grown and monitored by the latest international regulations and European Standards.
“Egyptian Vegetables in history”
Throughout the different dynasties, Egyptians supplemented their Egyptian vegetable intake with a variety of grains and meat. Egyptians hunted game such as quail and waterfowl within the marshes of the Nile delta, and also domesticated animals such as geese, ducks, cattle, and even antelope, but the poorer classes ate meat only rarely.
In Upper Egypt during the Predynastic Period, pigs were associated with the god Seth and avoided, while Egyptians in Lower Egypt during the same time slaughtered and ate them. Fish were also a staple for Egyptians, though often considered unclean by the upper classes. Grains such as barley and wheat were used to make bread and brew beer, a nutritious foodstuff that was thicker than the beverage known today.
Vegetables the ancient Egyptians ate included green peas, leeks, lettuce, chickpeas, and beans. Garlic and onions were also consumed for their purported medical qualities.
Fruits such as grapes, pomegranates, dates, and plums were also harvested. Other crops that came to be planted by the Egyptians originated in East Africa, the Near East, and parts of Asia.
One example is celery, which historians speculate came from Southwest Asia or Europe; traces have turned up in archaeological digs of sites dating as early as the 18th Dynasty, the time of Tutankhamun.
Market Overview
The Egyptian fruits and vegetable market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period (2021-2026).
The Egyptian fruits and vegetable market was significantly impacted by the spread of COVID-19. The closure of restaurants, bars, and schools disrupted the entire supply chain, affecting the market. Egypt is divided into a number of farming regions according to climate, natural vegetation, soil type, and farming practices. Some of the major fruits and vegetables produced are tomatoes, potatoes, beets, oranges, onions, grapes, and dates, among others.
According to FAO, the production of fruits and vegetables in Egypt accounted for 30.0 million metric tons in 2019. In fruits, oranges recorded the highest production of 3.0 million metric tons. Similarly, among vegetables, tomato recorded the highest production of 6.7 million metric tons, followed by onions of 3.0 million metric tons, in 2019. Steady production and rising exports of fruits and vegetables are driving the market growth.
