Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk announced Thursday 5/3/2026 that the Egyptian Agricultural Quarantine Authority (AQA) has officially opened the Panamanian market to exports of four main Egyptian citrus products: oranges, lemons, mandarins and grapefruit.
The announcement follows a joint memorandum received by the minister from Ahmed Rizk, head of the Agricultural Services Sector and Mohamed al-Mansi, head of the Central Administration of Agricultural Quarantine (CAPQ). The memorandum confirmed the success of technical and diplomatic coordination in gaining approval for Egypt’s regulatory system, with Panamanian authorities publishing the official import regulations in Panama’s official gazette.
Mansi highlighted long and intensive technical negotiations with Panama to establish simplified phytosanitary regulations that ensure Egyptian products meet high-quality standards and global requirements.
The minister of agriculture emphasized the importance of diversifying export markets to reduce dependence on traditional markets and enhance geopolitical flexibility, opening safe alternative trade routes and supporting the national economy by maximizing foreign currency earnings and increasing Egypt’s share in the global citrus trade, where Egypt holds a leading position.
The minister also stressed ongoing efforts to open more international markets for Egyptian agricultural products, which enjoy a strong reputation and competitive quality worldwide.
