Notably, watermelon shipments have already exceeded last year’s total by 80%, and melon exports are currently 2.4 times higher. Moreover, Egypt has a good chance of significantly increasing its melon exports in the remaining four months of this year, as exports to Saudi Arabia from September to December typically account for about a quarter or a third of annual shipments. However, unlike Morocco, Egypt’s exports of watermelons and melons have not yet brought significant dividends to the country’s economy. Last year, Saudi Arabia was the ninth-largest importer of melons globally and ranked second in the Middle East region for melon purchases after the UAE. For watermelon imports, Saudi Arabia held a more modest position: 25th place globally and third-largest importer in the Middle East after the UAE and Qatar.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 07, 2023 01:13 UTC