• Egypt seeks removal of non-tariff barriers on food exports
• Indonesia citrus imports up 45% in five years

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said last week he had begun talks with his Indonesian counterpart, Sugiono, to expand market access for Egyptian agricultural exports in Asia.

The discussions took place on the sidelines of a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on Feb. 18, 2026, according to Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS).

Abdelatty stressed the need to exchange expertise in agriculture and remove non-tariff barriers to Egyptian food exports entering Indonesia. The steps are intended to deepen bilateral trade ties and strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries, SIS said.

The two sides also discussed plans to hold a joint business forum in Cairo, bringing together private sector representatives to advance trade and investment.

A strategic market for citrus in Asia

Egypt is the world’s fourth-largest citrus exporter, after Spain, South Africa and China. Indonesia’s rising demand for citrus helps explain Cairo’s push to strengthen agricultural trade ties with Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

Data from Trade Map show Indonesia’s citrus imports rose 45% over the past five years, from 127,949 tonnes in 2021 to 185,859 tonnes in 2025. Over the same period, the value of those imports increased 51% to $344.9 million.

Egypt exported nearly $4.3 million worth of citrus to Indonesia in 2025, accounting for less than 2% of the country’s total citrus imports. Indonesia mainly sources its supplies from China, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa. Easier access to Indonesia’s agricultural market could help boost Egypt’s export earnings. In 2025, Egypt’s total export revenues rose 7% to $11.5 billion.

Stéphanas Assocle