According to him, Egypt has all the right conditions to become a leading avocado supplier. “We grow avocados under subtropical conditions, which affects their size, but they are still large enough for export. Egyptian avocados have an excellent taste, and we easily achieve the desired dry matter content across all varieties. Cultivation and expansion are currently underway for both green-skinned and dark-skinned varieties to serve markets with different preferences, and there remains significant potential for growth and development.”
Egyptian avocados are beginning to appear on international markets, and it is only a matter of time before the Egyptian alternative gains a strong foothold with significant volumes, Ashraf notes. “It will certainly take time to reach large-scale planted areas and, consequently, sufficient export volumes. Egypt has already started producing respectable quantities, mainly for the domestic market and neighboring Arab countries, and is now beginning to enter European markets. Within five to seven years, we expect to reach a critical mass of production that will allow us to be competitive in Europe.”
He adds that European demand remains strong and continues to grow, making room for additional volumes.
“The market is far from saturated, and strong competition is not a barrier. The Egyptian avocado export window—from October to January—overlaps with other origins, but we benefit from well-known advantages in terms of competitive production and logistics costs. The average price of Egyptian avocados will certainly fall within the acceptable range of market averages. Logistical convenience is also a competitive edge, as we have stable access to the UK and Europe via regular weekly shipping lines operated by various carriers.”
At PICO, the company has an ambitious expansion plan and views avocados as a potential flagship export crop for Egypt. “Strategically, we are working to increase our avocado acreage to meet the growing demand from both domestic and international markets. We are proud to be the first Egyptian company to grow avocados, and we encourage other producers to follow suit. This will reshape the supply landscape and position Egypt as a major avocado supplier on the global market,” Ashraf concludes.