Browse Data and Analysis

On June 27, 2024, the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry signed Decree No. 361/2024. The Decree extended the shelf-life validity period for imported frozen beef liver from seven to twelve months and for frozen fish from six to ten months. The decree is valid for six months, as of July 1, 2024, and expires on December 31, 2024.

As tourists flock back to the Caribbean in larger numbers and island economies regain their footing after being challenged by global inflation, competition, and other headwinds, opportunities for U.S. suppliers are slowly emerging. While hurdles remain present on the horizon, U.S. suppliers are finding resilient Caribbean buyers to be excellent partners on the road to commercial success.

In late May 2024, the Egyptian Government announced its intention to increase the price of subsidized bread (from 5 piasters {$.001} per loaf to 20 piasters {$.004} per loaf) as of June 1, 2024 -- marking the first increase in the price of subsidized bread in Egypt in 36 years.

FAS/Cairo (Post) forecasts Egypt’s wheat imports in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 to increase by 2 percent from the previous marketing year, due to population growth and the availability of more foreign currency in Egyptian banks.

Egyptian cotton production in marketing year (MY) 2024/25, the period from August 2024 to July 2025, is forecast at 310,000 bales, down 40,000 bales from MY2023/24, driven by a 4-percent drop in harvested area and lower input use, impacting yields.

FAS/Cairo (Post) forecasts Egypt’s soybean imports in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 (October – September) to increase by 14.8 percent from the previous marketing year, due to an influx of foreign currency into Egyptian banks.

Attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen on commercial vessels have resulted in many shipping companies rerouting away from two of the world's busiest shipping routes — the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

Despite a myriad of economic hardships, Egypt hosted 14.9 million tourists in 2023 (exceeding its previous record of 14.7 million tourists in 2010).

Demand for U.S. consumer-oriented products in the Caribbean region reached $1.5 billion in 2022, a 26 percent gain compared to the previous year.

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in Egypt.

In marketing year (MY) 2023/24, FAS/Cairo forecasts fresh orange exports to reach 2.0 million metric tons (MMT) up from 1.6 MMT in MY 2022/23.

Global events have contributed to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound, high inflation, and a lack of foreign currency. Although Egypt had started to recover its tourism industry and economy after COVID-19, the Russian war in Ukraine contributed to a rise in food prices and a lack of forex.