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Egyptian Lettuce Export Specifications: Iceberg Grades, Cooling & Season
Egypt supplies iceberg (crisphead) lettuce to European and Gulf markets through the winter window, when Nile Delta field conditions produce tight, heavy heads while much of Europe is out of season. This spec sheet covers export varieties, head-weight and caliber grades, the vacuum-cooling cold chain, packing formats, and the November–April season — everything an importer needs to write a purchase spec.
Table of Contents
Quick Answer: Egyptian Lettuce Export Specs
- Main type: Iceberg / crisphead — the primary export lettuce from Egypt.
- Varieties: Great Lakes, Salinas, Cherokee (heat-tolerant selections).
- Season: November–April (open-field winter crop; peak Dec–Mar).
- Head weight: 400–800 g typical; export-grade heads firm and well-trimmed.
- Cold chain: vacuum-cooled to ~1–4 °C within hours of harvest; shipped reefer at 0–2 °C.
- Packing: 9, 10, or 12 heads per carton; often film-wrapped; foam or vented cartons.
- Standards: UNECE FFV-22, Class I; GLOBALG.A.P, HACCP, ISO 22000.
- HS code: 0705.11 (cabbage lettuce / iceberg, fresh or chilled).
- Incoterms & ports: FOB / CIF / CFR / DAP via Alexandria, Damietta, Sokhna, Port Said.
Export Varieties
Egyptian iceberg is grown mainly in the Nile Delta and reclaimed desert farms, in sandy-loam soil under controlled drip irrigation. Cultivars are chosen for firm heads, uniform size, and tolerance to the warmer end of the growing window.
| Variety | Head character | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | Tight, compact, crisp pale-green | Retail & foodservice — sweet, mild |
| Salinas | Large, dense, tightly packed | Salads, wraps, fresh-cut |
| Cherokee | Compact, heat-tolerant | Warmer-region / shoulder-season crop |
Grades & Head Specifications
Export lettuce is graded to the UNECE FFV-22 standard for lettuces and endives. Class I is the common export grade: heads well-formed, firm, clean, free of tipburn, rot, and seed-stem (bolting).
| Parameter | Export specification |
|---|---|
| Head weight | 400–800 g (buyer-defined band, e.g. 450–600 g) |
| Count per carton | 9 / 10 / 12 heads |
| Quality class | Class I (UNECE FFV-22); Class Extra on request |
| Firmness | Firm, compact; no puffiness or looseness |
| Trim | Butt cut clean; 2–3 wrapper leaves retained |
| Defects | Free of tipburn, russet spotting, rot, bolting |
| Color | Uniform pale to medium green; no red discoloration |
Cooling & Cold Chain
Iceberg lettuce is highly perishable and loses quality fast if field heat is not removed quickly. The export standard is vacuum cooling: harvested heads are cooled to roughly 1–4 °C within hours of cutting, which extends shelf and storage life and lets fruit reach Europe, Scandinavia, and the Gulf in condition. From cooling onward the chain stays unbroken:
- Harvest & field-pack → cartoned in the field to minimize handling.
- Vacuum cooling → core temperature pulled to ~1–4 °C.
- Cold storage → held at 0–2 °C, 95–98% RH.
- Reefer transport → 0–2 °C by sea or air freight; MAP liners on request.
Packing Formats
- Cartons: vented or foam cartons of 9 / 10 / 12 heads, ~8–10 kg net.
- Wrapping: individual film wrap (flow-pack) or naked heads with wrapper leaves.
- Liners: perforated or MAP liners to hold humidity and slow respiration.
- Pallets: palletized, corner-boarded, strapped; pre-cooled before loading.
- Labeling: variety, class, count, net weight, packer code, origin — per buyer/retail spec.
Season & Availability
Egyptian iceberg is an open-field winter crop, available November through April, with peak volume December to March. This window fills the Northern-Hemisphere gap when European open-field lettuce is largely unavailable — the core reason Egyptian iceberg finds strong winter demand in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Scandinavia, and the Gulf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What lettuce does Egypt export?
Primarily iceberg (crisphead) lettuce — varieties Great Lakes, Salinas, and Cherokee — grown as a winter crop in the Nile Delta for export in firm, well-trimmed heads.
When is the Egyptian lettuce season?
November to April, peaking December–March. It complements the European off-season, which is when import demand is highest.
How is lettuce kept fresh during export?
By vacuum cooling to ~1–4 °C within hours of harvest, then holding an unbroken cold chain at 0–2 °C through reefer transport, often with MAP liners to preserve crunch and shelf life.
What is the standard pack for export iceberg?
Cartons of 9, 10, or 12 heads (~8–10 kg net), Class I to UNECE FFV-22, heads 400–800 g, film-wrapped or with retained wrapper leaves per buyer spec.
How to Cite This Page
PEI Trade. “Egyptian Lettuce Export Specifications: Iceberg Grades, Cooling & Season.” peitrade.com, 2026, https://peitrade.com/egyptian-lettuce-export-specifications/
Reference standards: UNECE FFV-22 (Lettuces and Endives); Codex Alimentarius CXC 53-2003 (Fresh Leafy Vegetables); ITC Trade Map HS 0705.
Related
- Category hub: Egyptian Vegetable Export
- Sibling spoke: Egyptian Cabbage / Brassica Export
- Seasonal calendar: Egyptian Export Season Calendar
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