Melon & Watermelon Boom: Egypt’s Skyrocketing Exports to Saudi Arabia in 2023

Egypt has reached significant milestones in the fruit export business, specifically melons and watermelons to Saudi Arabia. Over the course of the first eight months of 2023, Egypt doubled its export volumes of these fruits, which includes both watermelons and melons. According to EastFruit, the increase in export volumes is not expected to slow down anytime soon, but rather it will continue to rise till the end of the year. From January to August 2023 alone, Egypt exported an impressive 16,500 tons of melons to Saudi Arabia. This figure is twice as much as the previous year and two and a half times more than the average over the previous five years. In addition, watermelon shipments have already exceeded last year’s total by 80%, and melon exports are currently 2.4 times higher. Moreover, Egypt has a good chance of significantly increasing its melon exports in the remaining four months of this year as exports to Saudi Arabia from September to December typically account for about a quarter or a third of annual shipments. Despite being one of the world’s most important producers of melons, Egypt’s exports of watermelons and melons have not yet brought significant dividends to the country’s economy when compared to countries such as Algeria (for watermelons) and Morocco (for melons). In 2022, export revenue from these two categories amounted to only $7.3 million, whereas Egypt exported peaches and nectarines valued at nearly $23 million. Saudi Arabia, although not a leading importer, still plays a significant role in the global melon and watermelon market, offering opportunities for product placement on premium supermarket shelves as well as in stores with less stringent quality requirements. It is expected to set a new import record for both watermelons and melons in 2023