Arab Finance: Egyptian food industry exports to China rose 21% year on year (YoY) to $150.4 million in the first eight months of 2026, moving China to 12th place among the sector’s export destinations, according to the Food Export Council (FEC), as per a statement.
Exports increased by nearly $26 million from $124.4 million in January–August 2025, outpacing the sector’s overall export growth during the same period. The eight-month total also exceeded the previous annual record of $137.3 million set in 2025.
The figures were presented during an FEC webinar titled “New Opportunities for Exporting Food Products to the Chinese Market,” featuring Khaled Melad, Head of the Egyptian Commercial Office in Beijing, alongside food company representatives and exporters.
The webinar examined export trends, existing products and untapped opportunities, logistics, export procedures, Chinese customs registration, consumer preferences, distribution channels, and specialized trade fairs. It also included a practical case study of an Egyptian company exporting frozen strawberries to China.
Frozen strawberries were the main driver of export growth in 2026, while salt exports also increased. Prepared animal feed and aromatic oils and resins declined, reinforcing the council’s call to broaden the range of Egyptian food products sold in China.
In 2025, frozen strawberries led the sector’s exports to China at $83.85 million, representing a 61.1% share of total food industry exports. Prepared animal feed followed at $46 million, or 33.5%. Other exports included aromatic oils and resins at $4.53 million, other animal-origin products at $1.08 million, juices at $560,000, and cereal preparations and biscuits at $520,000.
Together, frozen strawberries and prepared animal feed accounted for approximately 94.6% of the sector’s exports to China that year. The council said the performance demonstrated the success of both categories but also highlighted the concentration of exports in a limited number of products.
The latest growth follows several years of fluctuations. Egyptian food industry exports to China increased from approximately $30.8 million in 2020 to $109.3 million in 2021 and $112.8 million in 2022, before easing to $106.9 million in 2023. They fell to $54.7 million in 2024, then rebounded to $137.3 million in 2025.
The council attributed the 2024 decline primarily to lower exports of prepared animal feed, specifically beet pulp and sugarcane bagasse, as exporters redirected some shipments to markets offering better prices. It described the decline as a change in export destinations rather than a reduction in export capacity.
China’s ranking among Egyptian food export markets reflected those shifts. It climbed from 32nd place in 2020 to 14th in both 2021 and 2022, then ranked 16th in 2023. It slipped to 31st in 2024 before recovering to 19th in 2025 and reaching 12th in January–August 2026.
The council said China remained one of the world’s largest markets by trade volume, with total imports exceeding $2.5 trillion in 2025. Estimates of food imports differ according to the products and classifications measured, it noted, but the market’s scale offers opportunities for Egyptian suppliers.
Milad said food manufacturing could help diversify Egyptian exports to China and increase their added value, particularly after years of reliance on agricultural produce. Egypt supplies approximately 93% of China’s frozen strawberry imports, he noted, while opportunities also exist for pasta, sauces, chocolate, and juices.
He said Egyptian exports to China were regaining momentum after the severe disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, despite subsequent geopolitical challenges and shipping disruptions.
Total Egyptian exports to China reached approximately $819 million in 2025, up 41.9% from $577 million in 2024, according to Milad. Chinese exports to Egypt amounted to around $19.97 billion, bringing bilateral trade to approximately $20.78 billion.
Milad projected that Egyptian exports to China could exceed $1 billion in 2026 if current growth rates continued. However, he said trade remained unbalanced, making it necessary to increase Egypt’s export share and expand beyond traditional commodities.
China’s preferential zero-tariff treatment, effective from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028, provides an opportunity to support that expansion. Milad urged companies to act quickly during the two-year period to develop markets, establish Egyptian brands, and build a sustained presence rather than focus solely on increasing shipment volumes.
The council noted the tariff exemption had given Egyptian products a price advantage, particularly frozen strawberries, which previously faced high customs duties. However, both the council and Milad stressed that tariff relief did not automatically authorize products to enter China or remove sanitary requirements, product-specific memoranda of understanding, or customs registration obligations.
