Egypt exports fresh produce in every month of the year. For oranges, Navel contracts start in early November; exports open when the Export Council announces the opening (15 December in each of the last two seasons) and run to 1 March. Valencia ships fresh January–May, then from cold storage to the end of August. Lemons ship from the end of September, and mandarin exports open when the Export Council announces the opening of the season (early to mid December).
Last updated: October 2026
Egypt’s greatest advantage as an origin is not any single product — it is the calendar. Thanks to the Nile Valley and Delta climate, plus reclaimed desert farms with staggered plantings, something export-grade is being harvested in Egypt in every month of the year. For an importer, that means one origin can feed your program from January to December — if you know the Egyptian produce seasons well enough to plan around them.
This is the master calendar for all 37 products in the PEIVANA catalog: fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, frozen lines and dry goods, each with its realistic export window.
How to Read This Calendar
- Windows are export windows, not just harvest dates — they include the period when volume, sizing and price make commercial sense for export.
- Edges are softer than the table suggests. Early and late weeks of any window have lighter volumes and firmer prices; mid-window is where quality and price peak together.
- Frozen and dry products are year-round — they are processed at harvest peak and shipped from cold or dry stores all year, which makes them ideal container fillers in any month.
The Master Table: All 37 Products
Fresh fruit
| Product | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oranges | Nov–Aug | Navel: contracts from early November; exports from the Export Council’s opening announcement (15 December in each of the last two seasons) to 1 March. Valencia: fresh January–May, then from cold storage to the end of August |
| Mandarins | Dec–Mar | Murcott/Fremont; exports open when the Export Council announces the opening of the season (early to mid December) |
| Lemons | From end of September | Lemons ship from the end of September |
| Mango | Jun–Oct | Early varieties June; Keitt carries into October |
| Grapes | May–Aug | Early Sweet/Flame from May; Crimson to August |
| Fresh strawberries | Nov–Mar | Winter fruit; air or short sea lanes |
| Pomegranate | Aug–Nov | Early 116 in August; Wonderful Sep–Nov |
| Figs | Jul–Sep | Short, fast summer window |
| Guava | Aug–Nov | Fragrant autumn fruit; handles short lanes best |
| Dates | Year-round | Harvest Sep–Dec; stored fruit ships all year, peak demand pre-Ramadan |
| Cantaloupes | Mar–Jul | Spring melon; strong Gulf demand |
| Watermelons | Apr–Jul | High-volume summer item |
Fresh vegetables
| Product | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Onions | Mar–Oct | Golden and red; cured stocks stretch the tail |
| Garlic | Feb–Jun | Fresh green Feb–Mar; dry garlic Apr–Jun and stored beyond |
| Potatoes | Jan–Jun & Aug–Nov | Two crops: spring (main export) and autumn |
| Sweet potatoes | Aug–Feb | Beauregard; cured for long transit |
| Tomatoes | Oct–Jun | Cool-season field crop |
| Peppers | Oct–Jun | Colored capsicum, chili types |
| Cucumbers | Oct–Jun | Chilling-sensitive: ships at +10 °C group |
| Zucchini | Oct–May | Fast-turning winter vegetable |
| Eggplant | Oct–Jun | Peak quality in the cool months |
| Green beans | Oct–May | Fine and bobby grades; strong EU demand |
| Okra (fresh) | May–Oct | Summer crop; frozen available year-round |
| Spinach | Nov–Mar | Winter leafy; travels in the citrus temperature group |
| Lettuce | Nov–Apr | Iceberg and romaine; cold chain critical |
| Cabbage | Nov–Apr | Dense, cheap freight filler for winter loads |
Frozen lines (year-round)
| Product | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen strawberries | Year-round | IQF from the Nov–Mar fresh crop; Egypt is a top-3 world exporter |
| Frozen okra | Year-round | Zero and extra grades |
| Frozen molokhia | Year-round | Minced leaves; staple of Arab diaspora retail |
| Frozen spinach | Year-round | Chopped and leaf |
| Frozen mixed vegetables | Year-round | Custom blends possible |
Dry goods and legumes (year-round)
| Product | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fava beans | Year-round | The Egyptian staple; peak demand pre-Ramadan |
| Chickpeas | Year-round | Multiple calibers |
| Lentils | Year-round | Red and green |
| Dry white beans | Year-round | Alubia types |
| Black-eyed beans | Year-round | Consistent dry-store quality |
| Olives | Year-round | Table olives from the Sep–Nov harvest, processed and shipped all year |
The Year at a Glance: What Each Quarter Is For
Q1 (January–March): the citrus quarter
Navel oranges to 1 March, Valencia fresh from January, mandarins, fresh strawberries, the spring potato crop starting, plus the full winter vegetable range. Mixed containers are agreed per request — see our dedicated Q1 loading calendar.
Q2 (April–June): the handover quarter
Valencia oranges ship fresh to the end of May, then from cold storage to the end of August, while onions, garlic, cantaloupes, watermelons and the first grapes (May) come in. Any mixed container is agreed per request; oranges are never loaded with mandarins or lemons.
Q3 (July–September): the summer fruit quarter
Mango is the star, alongside grapes (to August), figs, early pomegranate and guava, with onions and fresh okra as fillers.
Q4 (October–December): the new-season quarter
Pomegranate and guava finish, the date harvest lands (and Ramadan buyers should already be ordering — see our Ramadan order timeline), sweet potatoes peak, winter vegetables return in October, lemons ship from the end of September, Navel contracts start in early November, and mandarin exports open when the Export Council announces the opening of the season (early to mid December).
Using the Calendar to Build Mixed Containers
The practical value of a 37-product calendar is overlap: most months offer several products in season. There is no fixed mix: each mixed container is built around the buyer’s request and agreed case by case against the carrying temperature and ventilation each product needs, then confirmed after approval. Frozen lines run at −18 °C and legumes ship in dry containers, so neither shares a box with fresh produce.
| Case | Rule |
|---|---|
| Oranges with mandarins or lemons | Not loaded together |
| Oranges with any other product | On request, subject to approval |
| Oranges on their own | Full 40 ft reefer only (1,664 cartons of 15 kg = 24.96 t), including trial orders |
How mixed requests are handled — temperature groups and documents — is covered step by step in our cornerstone guide to mixed produce containers from Egypt.
Delivery terms: CFR / CIF to your port, or FOB Egypt.
FAQ: Egyptian Produce Seasons
Which Egyptian products are available all year?
Dates (from store), all frozen lines (strawberries, okra, molokhia, spinach, mixed vegetables), table olives and all legumes — fava beans, chickpeas, lentils, white beans and black-eyed beans.
When is Egyptian citrus season?
Lemons ship from the end of September. Navel contracts start in early November; Navel exports open when the Export Council announces the opening (15 December in each of the last two seasons) and run to 1 March. Mandarin exports open early to mid December. Valencia ships fresh January–May, then from cold storage to the end of August.
What is the best month for a first trial container from Egypt?
January to March offers the widest range of products in season. For oranges, a trial order is still a full 40 ft reefer.
Do these seasons shift from year to year?
Edges move by one to three weeks with weather. For a specific loading month, ask for an availability check and today’s price.
Can oranges go in a mixed container?
Oranges are never loaded with mandarins or lemons. Any other mixed container that includes oranges is on request, subject to approval. Otherwise oranges ship in full 40 ft reefers, including trial orders.
Ask for today’s price for your season
Tell us your products, loading months, packing and destination port, and ask for today’s price. Email: [email protected]