The European Commission (EC) recently announced that it has decided to drop the temporary ban imposed on Egyptian potatoes, according to Al-Ahram daily. The Commission will allow Egypt to resume potato exportation beginning in the upcoming export season.
The EC added that the ban, which was imposed on May 5, was dropped due to intense negotiations held between the Egyptian minister of Trade and Economics, Yusuf Butrus Ghali, and officials in the European Commission.
The measures previously adopted came in response to fears of the spread of Potato Brown Rot (Ralstonia solanacearum), a bacterial disease which can harm crop yields and make infected potatoes unusable.
The embargo posed serious threats to Egypt, as potatoes constitute an important export crop for the nation. Up until the ban, nearly 174,000 tons of potatoes were exported, of which 136,000 tons were sold to the European Union. In contrast, only 38,000 tons were exported to Arab nations. — (MENA Report)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
