Egypt strawberry acreage expected to shrink by 30 percent

Egyptian strawberry production is expected to see a significant reduction in acreage, with estimates suggesting plantations could decrease by as much as 30 percent next season. This shift is intended to ease supply pressure following a difficult 2025/2026 campaign characterized by an oversized crop that exceeded market absorption capacity.

Ihab Mansour, CEO of Fresh Box, noted that while oversupply was a factor, the previous season's difficulties were also driven by decreased demand in Europe. Unusually long domestic strawberry seasons in several EU producing countries led to lower prices and tougher marketing conditions for Egyptian exports.

Regarding previous concerns over plant health, Mansour stated that quality issues experienced by growers were linked to extreme heat during a specific planting window rather than structural weaknesses in the nursery sector. He expressed optimism for the upcoming season as the company continues to serve the EU and UK markets while expanding into Asia.