High demand for Egyptian strawberry plants

Mr. Emad Mahdy, owner and operator of Fayruz Nurseries, said, "We are the first nursery in Egypt to be licensed and accredited to export strawberry plants by the American company Ekland, the exclusive agent of the University of Florida varieties."

"All of our exports of fresh and frozen strawberry plants and mother plants of the University of Florida varieties are approved by Ekland, as we pay the intellectual property rights to the company. These varieties include Fortuna, Festival, Sensation, Brilliance, Winter Star, and Winter Dawn," adds Mr. Emad.

Fayruz Nurseries' volumes continue to grow thanks to strong domestic and foreign demand. Mr. Emad explains, "Our volumes have increased from 1.5 million mother plants produced last year to 2 million this year and 5 million fresh and frozen plants. Mr. Emad attributes this high demand to the quality and health of the plants. "We guarantee the quality of our plants, follow up with our customers throughout the production process and give them the advice to maximize the yield."

The company exports to several countries in Africa and Asia, with the largest volumes going to Libya, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Kuwait, India, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Ethiopia. The grower exports, to a lesser extent, to Tunisia, Mali, Zambia, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Gambia, and the Philippines. The company produces and distributes to the national and international markets twice a year, from September 1 to November 15 and from March 1 to June 1.

Fayruz Nursery enjoys commercial advantages and technical support, as it is accredited by the Egyptian authorities and backed by the American producer Ekland. Mr. Mahdy explains: "Florida varieties represent 98% of the strawberries produced in Egypt, and these are the varieties we produce. Our plants are completely free of diseases, such as nematodes, fungal diseases, phytoplasma diseases, and any kind of virus, and this is certified and documented for every plant we produce."