While several sources in the Egyptian sweet potato industry point to overproduction, Aya Montaser, export manager at Fresh Yard, assures that the market is much more balanced than last year, adding that "October will see a surge in Egyptian sweet potato exports."
© Aya Montaser
The exporter states: "This year, we are seeing a marked improvement in the balance between supply and demand. It should be remembered that last year, farmers planted too many sweet potatoes, but demand was low. Many crops remained in the fields for too long, so they grew very large and lost their good quality. This year, the situation has improved. At the beginning of the season, prices fluctuated, but they are now more stable. Farmers have also been more cautious in their planting, ensuring that the quantity is close to market demand, sometimes even slightly lower."
Despite abundant production, demand has been strong this year, according to Aya. She adds: "A large part of the production is exported to Europe, mainly to France, the Netherlands, and Germany. With a better balance between supply and demand, this season looks set to be more successful than last year."
© Aya Montaser
The current period, and until October, will be the most interesting of the year in terms of prices, according to Aya. She says, "Prices were better at the beginning of the season, then fluctuated a lot, but overall they remained higher than last year. Now that the harvest in the Kafr El Sheikh region is over and the Damietta harvest is about to begin, we expect prices to follow the same trend and rise again, especially since the start of the season in Damietta coincides with a sharp increase in demand."
For more information:
Aya Montaser
Fresh yard
Tel: +201033714460
Email: [email protected]