While mango takes the headlines in July, onions remain one of the steadiest lines leaving Egyptian ports through the summer. The spring crop is harvested, cured and moved into storage, and that stored volume is what feeds export programs from now into the autumn. For buyers in the Gulf, India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, this is the window to lock supply before other origins tighten. Here is how we are positioning Egyptian onion at PEI Trade for the 2026 summer season.

Crop and availability

Egypt grows both red and golden-yellow onions, with the large golden crop carrying most export demand. The main harvest runs through spring, and properly cured bulbs hold well in ventilated storage, which lets us ship consistent quality across the summer months. Availability is firm now, and we expect a steady flow into October, with pricing tied to storage costs and export competition rather than to daily harvest swings.

Grades, sizes and quality

Export onions are graded for firmness, dry outer skin, tight necks and freedom from sprouting or soft spots. Sizing is set by diameter, with the common export bands running 40 to 60 millimetres, 50 to 70 millimetres, and 60 to 80 millimetres. Gulf retail buyers usually favour the 50 to 70 band, while processing and catering buyers in Asia often take the larger counts. Moisture and curing matter as much as size, because a well-cured bulb travels and stores far better at destination.

Packing and container loading

The standard export pack is a 25 kilogram red or yellow mesh bag, which lets the bulbs breathe and reduces sweating in transit. Buyers who supply retail often ask for smaller consumer bags of 2, 5 or 10 kilograms, and these can be prepared to a printed spec. Onions can move in ventilated dry containers for shorter Red Sea and Gulf runs, or in reefer containers set to a holding temperature for longer routes to South and Southeast Asia. A 40-foot container typically carries around 27 to 28 tonnes of 25 kilogram bags depending on the pack and pallet choice.

Inspection and terms

Every lot is inspected for grade compliance before loading, and third-party checks through SGS or Intertek are available on request. We quote on FOB from Egyptian ports or on CFR to your discharge port under Incoterms 2020, so you can compare offers on a like-for-like basis. Buyers building a broader vegetable program may also look at our Egyptian potato export notes, and those serving the Gulf can review demand patterns in our Saudi Arabia market guide.

Booking summer volume

Stored supply rewards early commitment, because the best-cured lots and the popular size bands sell through first. Send us your destination, preferred colour, size band and bag spec, and we will confirm current availability and a delivered price. To open a discussion or request a quote, reach our export desk on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918.