Pretoria: As part of the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) authority’s efforts to promote Egyptian agricultural exports and open new markets for Egyptian products in Africa, the Egyptian Commercial Service office in Pretoria, headed by Commercial Counselor Ihab Salah El-Din, in cooperation with the Agricultural Export Council, organized matchmaking meetings between major South African companies importing agricultural products and Egyptian companies exporting fresh pomegranates.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the ECS Office’s initiative aims to open the South African market to Egyptian pomegranates during the current export season. The meetings, held on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, featured representatives from seven South African companies, four Egyptian companies, the Agricultural Export Council, and the head of the South African Agricultural Importers Association. The discussions focused on Egyptian export capabilities and opportunities for trade cooperation.

Minister Plenipotentiary/Dr. Ab
del Aziz Al-Sharif, First Deputy Minister and Head of the ECS Authority, highlighted that these efforts align with the Egyptian state’s policy to diversify and increase the volume of exports to global markets, particularly African markets. Al-Sharif noted a 7.8% increase in Egyptian exports to South Africa from January to July 2025, reaching approximately $75.5 million compared to $70 million in the same period of 2024. The value of Egyptian agricultural exports to South Africa was about $11 million in 2024, indicating potential for growth with new products like fresh pomegranates entering the market.