Kuwait city: As part of the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) efforts to promote Egyptian agricultural exports and open new horizons for national products in Gulf markets, Minister Plenipotentiary for Trade Essam Briqa, Head of the Egyptian Commercial Office in Kuwait, held a video conference meeting with members of the Agricultural Export Council. The meeting was attended by Mr. Hani Hussein, Executive Director of the Council, and more than 40 Egyptian companies that are members of the Council.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the Head of the Office began the meeting by emphasizing the importance of the Kuwaiti market as one of the most important markets for Egyptian products. He explained that it serves approximately 5 million people with high incomes and purchasing power, with a clear preference for high-quality products.
He pointed out that Kuwait is keen to have Egyptian food products in its markets, given its heavy reliance on imports to meet its food needs, the distinguished fraternal relations between the two countries, and the large Egyptian community in Kuwait and its preference for Egyptian products, which are widely popular among Kuwaiti consumers.
The head of the Commercial Office explained that most Egyptian agricultural exports to Kuwait recorded significant increases during 2024, including citrus fruits, mangoes, guavas, pomegranates, strawberries, grapes, fresh potatoes, onions, and sweet potatoes. This upward trend continued during the first nine months of 2025.
He also reviewed a number of technical and procedural considerations that the Commercial Office in Kuwait recommends taking into account to ensure the smooth flow of Egyptian exports and the rapid release of shipments. He emphasized the importance of obtaining the required certifications for exporting Egyptian food products to Kuwait, including a pesticide residue inspection certificate for each shipment, a hepatitis A virus (HAV) test certificate every six months, and a phytosanitary certificate or a health certificate for processed food products.
He stressed the need for exporting companies to adhere to the Kuwaiti Regulations for Imported Food issued in 2023 to avoid shipment rejections. He pointed out the most common errors that could lead to the refusal of goods entry, including issuing certificates after the goods have been shipped or before the production date, issuing the health certificate before laboratory testing for pesticide residues, using a single certificate for more than one shipment under the factoring system, and data mismatches between the certificates, the packing list, and the bill of lading.
The head of the office explained that coordination had been made with the Export Council for Agricultural Crops to circulate the Kuwaiti Regulations to all member companies, calling on Egyptian companies to communicate directly with the Commercial Office in Kuwait to inquire about any technical or regulatory details related to export.
The Minister Plenipotentiary for Trade, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Sharif, First Undersecretary of the Ministry and Head of Egyptian Commercial Service, stated that enhancing compliance with Kuwaiti requirements and improving product quality and packaging will increase access to Gulf markets in general and Kuwaiti markets in particular. He noted that Egyptian agricultural exports to Kuwait amounted to approximately $87.6 million in 2024, compared to $78.7 million in the previous year, an increase of 11.3%.
He also pointed out that total Egyptian exports to Kuwait amounted to approximately $228 million in 2025, compared to $198.7 million in the previous year, an increase of 15%. This reflects the success of the joint efforts between the Commercial Representation and the Export Councils in supporting the presence of Egyptian products and enhancing their competitiveness in Gulf markets.