First published September 27, 2024. Egypt’s new potato planting season could cut prices by 50%, after summer’s retail rates edged to E£35 ($0.72) per kilo.
At the height of the price surge in July 2024, analysts had briefed Ahram Online that rates would halve by December.
The planting season for the 3- to 4-month tuber had already begun in the Nile region end September.
Egyptians usually target the beginning of October and November as the ideal planting dates to reduce late year winter frost diseases.
Harvesting occurs in December or January, apparently the same two months when potatoes cannot tolerate growth due to biting cold.
Three Potato Planting Areas
The upper Nile Delta leads the potato planting area at 72% followed by Middle Egypt at 16%, per 2018 research data.
For the Middle Egypt portion, two areas dominate production, namely Minia at 7.5% and Giza at 4.3% region’s share.
The Upper Nile region leads in governorates with high yields for export potatoes. These jurisdictions include El-Behera and Menoufia, each with up to 36 tonnes per hectare in yield rate.
Also in the picture is the Western desert area, where farmers irrigate the tuber from canal water or deep wells.
Unlike the Nile Delta where farmers mostly lease land from large proprietors, the Western desert espouses growers who own plots.
Farmers reserve small and uniform-sized potato varieties for the European market while large tuber varieties figure in home consumption.
Thus, at the start of Egypt’s potato season, Egyptians expect normal pricing to fall below the regular E£ 21 ($0.43) per kg. Since pricing is a critical issue in this staple tuber, below is a comprehensive look at potato pricing in Egypt.
Egypt Potato Price Statistics
As a staple food in Egypt, the potato enjoys a special place in pricing, which remains relatively affordable. Some of the price-stabilizing factors include ample production. With an annual output of 6.16 million tonnes, as of 2022, Egypt’s output is the highest in Africa. Prices range from E£21 ($0.43) per kg by September 26, 2024 according to Expatistan, and E£35 ($0.72) a kg, per Ahram Online.
How Does Egypt’s potato retail prices compare worldwide?
At both its average of $0.44 or its most expensive supermarket rate of E$35 ($0.72) per kg, Egypt’s potato rate is cheap. In September 2024, this price was around 4 times cheaper than the world’s most expensive, South Korea’s, at $4.14 per kg. Egypt ranks 93rd worldwide in retail potato pricing while North African neighbors, Libya ($0.59) and Algeria ($0.54) are slightly ahead. Comparably, the U.S. charges $3.14 per kg for retail potatoes, while Japan charges $2.23 a kg.
Do Egyptians eat much potatoes?
Egyptians love their potatoes and average 38.4 kg per person per year, as of 2021. This was the 65th highest consumption per capita among 165 nations, according to Helgi Library.