Egypt is one of the world’s largest tomato producers, yet the export share is a fraction of the crop — because exporting tomatoes well is hard. Buyers sourcing Egyptian tomatoes wholesale need a partner who understands the two decisions that drive everything else: round versus plum, and which firmness grade survives your transit. Get those right and the October–June window delivers exceptional value into Gulf, African and East European markets.
PEIVANA, the flexible Egyptian exporter of the PEI Trade family, packs tomatoes to order from Alexandria, Damietta, Sokhna and Port Said — retail cartons or wholesale boxes, single-line or inside a mixed reefer. This guide gives importers the complete working specification.
Types: Round vs Plum
- Round (beef and cluster types): classic salad tomato, 100–200 g, high juice content. Best for short transits and markets that eat tomatoes fresh-sliced. Softer walls mean stricter firmness grading.
- Plum / Roma: oval, thick-walled, 80–130 g, lower water content. The long-haul workhorse — better stacking tolerance, longer shelf life, dual use fresh and cooking. The default recommendation for Gulf and African sea programs.
- Cherry and cocktail: 10–30 g, punnet-packed for retail; available as an add-on line under protected cultivation.
Grades and Firmness
Beyond standard Class 1 cosmetics (uniform color, no cracks, no blossom-end rot, green calyx on cluster spec), we grade by firmness and maturity stage:
- Grade A (export firm): mature-green to turning/pink stage, hard-walled — for transits of 5–10 days; colors up in transit and at destination.
- Grade B (light red): for short transits (3–5 days) and air shipments; near-full color at loading.
- Class 2: minor shape/color deviations, sound and firm — wholesale cooking markets.
Sizes & Calibers
| Caliber | Diameter | Type | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| MM | 40–47 mm | Plum/round | Wholesale, cooking |
| M | 47–57 mm | Plum/round | Retail standard (plum) |
| MG | 57–67 mm | Round | Retail salad core size |
| G | 67–82 mm | Round/beef | Retail large, food service |
| GG | 82+ mm | Beef | Food service, slicing |
Packing Formats
| Format | Net weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open-top carton | 6 kg | Export standard, single/double layer |
| Carton, jumble | 7–10 kg | Wholesale plum spec |
| Plastic crate | 10–15 kg | Regional and African markets |
| Punnets in carton | 250–500 g | Cherry/cocktail retail |
A 40′ reefer takes roughly 20 pallets — about 19–21 tons net in 6 kg cartons.
Season: October to June
Open-field and tunnel plantings run the window from October through June; peak export condition is November–April when cool nights slow ripening and firm the fruit. Align tomato programs with peppers and cucumbers on the Egyptian produce seasons calendar.
QC Checkpoints
- Maturity-stage sorting: each lot graded to the declared color stage — the single most disputed point in tomato trading, so we photograph every pallet.
- Firmness testing: hand and penetrometer checks; soft fruit out of export lines.
- Calyx and crack inspection on cluster and round specs.
- Carriage temperature by stage: mature-green/turning at +10–12°C, light-red at +8–10°C. Never below 8°C — chilled tomatoes lose flavor and shelf life permanently.
- MRL analysis per destination with every program.
Mixed-Container Fit
At +10–12°C, firm-graded tomatoes travel with cucumbers, peppers (upper range) and green beans in a mixed produce container from Egypt. Gulf supermarket buyers routinely anchor our Gulf retail mixed container with 6–8 pallets of plum tomatoes plus salad lines on top. Mid-size programs are the PEIVANA specialty — you set the pallet mix, we build the load.
FAQ
Should I order round or plum for a 7–10 day transit?
Plum, graded export-firm at turning stage. Round types are better kept to transits under 5–6 days or air programs.
What is the correct shipping temperature for tomatoes?
Stage-dependent: +10–12°C for mature-green/turning fruit, +8–10°C for light-red. Below 8°C causes chilling injury.
Can you pack retail-ready?
Yes — 6 kg display cartons, flow-packs and punnets with private-label options. Send your artwork and spec sheet with the enquiry.
Get a Tomato Quotation
Full spec on the tomatoes product page. Tell us type, caliber, firmness grade and destination — we respond with a same-day quote. Contact PEIVANA or message us on WhatsApp.