Reference dataset · 2024-2025
Egypt's exports : what, where, how much
Annual export volumes, broken down by HS-2 category and destination. Compiled from UN Comtrade reporter 818 (Egypt) and Eurostat Comext for the EU detail. Use this as the official starting point when sizing a market or sourcing opportunity.
Total exports 2024
$39.6 bn
all destinations, all categories
To the EU
$11.2 bn
28 % of total
Under AGADIR (intra-Med)
$4.7 bn
zero-tariff under EUR.1
Top 10 destinations (2024)
Single-country flows over $0.9 bn. Türkiye and the EU big three (Italy, Spain, Germany) drive 35 % of total volume.
| # | Destination | 2024 ($ bn) | YoY | Top category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Türkiye | 4.10 | +12 % | Mineral fuels (HS27) |
| 2 | Italy | 2.90 | +8 % | Mineral fuels (HS27) |
| 3 | Spain | 2.40 | +5 % | Mineral fuels (HS27) |
| 4 | India | 2.20 | -3 % | Mineral fuels (HS27) |
| 5 | Saudi Arabia | 1.80 | +14 % | Fresh produce (HS07-08) |
| 6 | United States | 1.60 | -7 % | Apparel (HS61-62) |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | 1.50 | +18 % | Fresh produce (HS07-08) |
| 8 | Germany | 1.30 | +6 % | Apparel (HS61-62) |
| 9 | France | 1.10 | +9 % | Apparel (HS61-62) |
| 10 | Netherlands | 0.95 | +11 % | Fresh produce (HS07-08) |
Top 12 categories (2024)
Mineral fuels dominate the value column (~29 % of total exports). The next tier — fresh produce, cotton, fertilizers, apparel — is what the typical B2B buyer is sourcing.
| HS-2 | Category | 2024 ($ bn) | YoY | Top destinations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Mineral fuels + petroleum | 11.40 | +4 % | Türkiye + Italy + Spain |
| 08 | Edible fruit + nuts (incl. citrus, mango, dates) | 1.90 | +9 % | Saudi Arabia + UAE + Russia |
| 52 | Cotton (raw + yarn + fabric) | 1.70 | +22 % | India + Italy + Türkiye |
| 31 | Fertilizers | 1.50 | -2 % | India + Brazil + Türkiye |
| 61 | Knitted apparel | 1.40 | +12 % | United States + Germany + UK |
| 07 | Edible vegetables (potatoes, onions, garlic) | 1.10 | +16 % | Russia + Saudi Arabia + UAE |
| 62 | Non-knitted apparel | 0.95 | +7 % | United States + Germany + Italy |
| 25 | Salt, sulphur, marble, stone | 0.87 | +5 % | India + Saudi Arabia + China |
| 69 | Ceramic products | 0.74 | +3 % | Italy + Saudi Arabia + Spain |
| 20 | Preparations of vegetables + fruit | 0.68 | +14 % | Italy + Saudi Arabia + UK |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals (phosphates) | 0.61 | -8 % | Türkiye + Brazil + India |
| 15 | Animal/vegetable fats + oils | 0.55 | +11 % | Italy + Saudi Arabia + Türkiye |
What the 2024 numbers say
- Cotton is back, fast. Cotton (HS52) up +22 % YoY — the strongest single-category move on the list. Reflects EU + Turkish buyers pivoting away from India/Pakistan after their 2025-26 harvest shortfalls. Confirms the cotton-shortage thesis we covered in our blog.
- Gulf rotation accelerating. Saudi Arabia +14 %, UAE +18 %, vs US -7 %. Egyptian exporters are re-balancing toward intra-MENA flows where freight is shorter and AGADIR / GAFTA stack discounts apply.
- EU is steady. Italy, Germany, France, Netherlands all mid-single-digit growth. The EU is a $11 bn dependable base — apparel, fresh produce, marble, cotton. AGADIR-zero-tariff explains the ceiling : without it, growth would be capped by 8-12 % MFN duties.
- Fertilizer down. HS31 exports -2 % after a 2022-23 super-cycle. Egyptian urea and phosphate volumes still high in absolute terms but pricing softened.
Sourcing from one of these flows?
The numbers tell you what moves. The next steps are : pick the right Incoterm for your deal, confirm your category clears AGADIR at 0 % duty, and find the supplier.
Sources + methodology
- UN Comtrade — reporter code 818 (Egypt), HS Annual frequency, 2023-2024. https://comtradeplus.un.org
- Eurostat Comext — Egypt-EU bilateral flows, monthly aggregated to annual. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/comext
- CAPMAS— Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egypt's statistical office. https://capmas.gov.eg
- YoY change is nominal USD vs same period 2023. Currency effects not stripped — 2024 USD/EGP averaged ~50, vs ~31 in 2023, which mechanically inflates EGP-denominated invoices when reported in USD.