Sweet potato volumes are declining in Egypt

Sweet potato volumes will drop significantly in Egypt, says Mr. Zayed Lahseen, CEO of AfriGoodGrow. "The reputation and success of the Egyptian rice crop have come at the expense of sweet potato production. Farmers decided to produce rice rather than sweet potatoes this season, as both use the same soil of the Kafr al-sheik and Damietta lands". The grower expects volumes to return to their normal level next season.

The decrease in volume is accompanied by an increase in prices, Zayed added: "The cost of one ton of sweet potatoes harvested at our farms is almost EGP 5,000 compared to EGP 3,750 last year, not including the costs of transport, drying, packaging, and shipping. This said, the devaluation of the Egyptian pound against foreign currencies has helped us to remain competitive in terms of prices."