Authorities in Cairo have described the performance as unprecedented. Citrus accounted for almost a quarter of Egypt’s total agri-food exports, helping to push overall agricultural export revenues to US$11.5bn, with shipments reaching 167 international markets.
Expanding footprint in the EU market
The European Union remains a key destination for Egyptian citrus. Data from the EU’s enhanced citrus import monitoring report, published in December 2025 and covering January to November, show that Egypt shipped 381,517 tonnes of citrus to the EU in 2025, almost double the volume recorded in 2016.
Oranges dominate these flows, with 347,040 tonnes imported in 2025, compared with 188,262 tonnes nine years earlier. While volumes of small citrus remain lower, growth has been particularly sharp, rising from less than 1,000 tonnes in 2016 to over 23,000 tonnes in 2025.
Egypt is now the second-largest non-EU supplier of oranges to the European market, behind South Africa. According to forecasts from the World Citrus Organisation, Egyptian orange production is expected to increase by 13.8% this season, reaching 4.95 million tonnes.
Short-term dip, medium-term pressure
Despite this long-term expansion, Egyptian citrus exports to the EU fell noticeably in 2025 compared with the previous year, with orange imports down 30.1% and small citrus down 23.6%. Even so, volumes remained broadly in line with the five-year average.
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Several factors explain the temporary slowdown, including a smaller crop, reduced export subsidies and, above all, the rapid growth of Egypt’s domestic processing industry. Attractive prices have encouraged growers to divert fruit into juice and concentrate production. However, this balance could shift again in the current campaign, as higher production forecasts and lower juice concentrate prices may push more fresh citrus back onto export markets, particularly Europe.
Growing pressure on Spanish citrus
Egypt’s rise contrasts with the situation in Spain, where citrus production continues to decline and is set to hit its lowest level in 16 years this season.
Spanish grower organisations have repeatedly warned that Egyptian citrus enters the EU at prices below local production and packing costs and is produced using plant protection substances banned in the EU. They argue that this creates sustained competitive pressure on domestic producers, intensifying concerns about fair competition and long-term viability within the European citrus sector.
