Egypt sets record for potato exports to Greece

Egypt continues to increase its potato exports to Greece, reports EastFruit. In the MY 2023/24, over 156,000 tons of ware potatoes were imported into Greece from Egypt, valued at USD 64 million. This represents a 12% increase from the previous season and a 71% increase from the 2021/22 season, marking an all-time high.

Greece is the second-largest destination for Egyptian potato exports, following Russia. Typically, Egyptian potato shipments to Greece occur in the second half of the marketing year when Greek potato stocks are limited, with the peak export period falling between February and April.

Greece's potato trade grows, with increased imports from Egypt and France, while re-exporting to Albania, Romania, and other European markets. (Courtesy: Global Trade Tracker, Analysis by EastFruit)

Since 2002, Egypt has been the leading potato exporter to Greece, thanks to affordable logistics and attractive pricing. In recent years, Egypt’s share of the potato supply to Greece has steadily grown. In the MY 2023/24, Egyptian potatoes accounted for approximately 65% of Greece’s total potato imports. In comparison, France supplied 12.8%, and Cyprus 9.1%. Overall, 18 countries exported potatoes to Greece during the marketing year.

The increase in imports from Egypt is attributed to both the rise in domestic potato consumption in Greece and the volumes of re-exports. According to FAOSTAT, Greece’s domestic potato consumption in 2022 was 301,000 tons, 12% higher than the previous year. 

Greece is also an active exporter of potatoes, with export volumes growing in recent years. In the 2023/24 season, Greece exported nearly 80,000 tons of potatoes, setting a national record. The primary export destinations were Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland. It is worth noting that Egypt is among the top five global potato exporters, while Greece ranked 14th among the world’s potato importers in 2023.