Egypt’s Rapid Growth in Tomato Paste Exports Overshadowed by Lost Opportunities in Fresh Market

Egypt has achieved record-breaking revenue in 2022 from global sales of tomato paste and puree. The exports of Egyptian tomato paste for the first half of this year peaked at a historical maximum. Continuous growth was witnessed in all key export markets. However, despite these successes, the country is ostensibly missing out on potential growth opportunities in the fresh tomato market segment due to structural issues within the industry. Comparatively, in 2022, Egypt's tomato paste and puree exports saw a 50% increase from the previous year's figure, reaching a remarkable $57 million. Over the past five years, the revenue from these exports has surged nearly sixfold. Additionally, Egypt comes closest to its 2022 annual target in just the first half of the year, with exports totaling $47 million from January to June. However, the fresh tomato exports have seen a relative stagnation in 2021-2022, mostly due to regional export structure, with Egypt mainly focusing on Middle Eastern and Russian markets for fresh tomatoes. However, these markets may not guarantee stability and high prices for the product. The decline of fresh tomato market is adversely affecting tomato paste exporters as well, threatening to decrease raw produce supply or lead to significant price increases.