Dr. Mohamed Farid:
- We are working to support the date sector to fully leverage Egypt’s position as a global leader in production
- The sector holds strong export potential, and maximizing value-added is essential
Dr. Mohamed Farid, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, participated in a visit to Al-Tahan Company’s facility specialized in the processing and packaging of dates. The visit took place as part of an inspection tour of Benha Investment Zone conducted by Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, with the participation of the Minister of Industry, the Governor of Qalyubia, and a number of company executives and officials.
Dr. Farid emphasized that the food industries sector—particularly date processing—offers promising opportunities for access to global markets. He noted that Egypt is one of the world’s largest producers of dates, which necessitates maximizing the value-added of this strategic crop through processing rather than exporting it as a raw commodity.
The Minister added that, in line with the directives of the political leadership, the Egyptian government is working to support the date sector and boost its exports, making optimal use of Egypt’s market potential. Egypt ranks among the top global producers of dates, accounting for nearly 19% of total global production, with an annual output exceeding 1.8 million tons.
During the visit, Dr. Farid, accompanied by the Prime Minister and the official delegation, received a detailed briefing from Dr. Ali Fouda, Development Manager at the company, on the various date production lines, as well as production and export levels.
The facility spans approximately 1,080 square meters and employs around 200 workers. Its average annual production volume is approximately 1,160 tonnes, with a monthly average of 96 tonnes. The monthly production of date molasses averages 41.6 tonnes, with plans to increase this to 83.2 tonnes. Additionally, the production of dates with nuts averages 55 tonnes per month, with a target to increase this to 80 tonnes. The monthly production of packaged date products ranges between approximately 87,000 and 90,000 boxes.
The Minister concluded by emphasizing that Al-Tahan Company, along with other national entities operating in this sector, represents a key partner in the State’s strategy to elevate Egyptian exports to a level commensurate with the country’s capabilities. He reaffirmed that the Ministry remains open to discussing any proposals that enhance production and export efficiency
