Mid-September is the point in the Egyptian export calendar where three things happen at once. The summer fruit programme closes, the autumn storage crops come into their loading window, and the citrus season that will run until next May starts to take shape. Buyers who plan against a single annual calendar tend to miss the handover. This note sets out where the season actually stands as of the week of 14 September 2026.

Mango: the last Keitt positions

The Egyptian mango season is in its final weeks. Keitt is the variety still on the line, and sizing has tightened as the crop runs down. Fruit is available for loading through late September and, on a limited basis, into early October, after which the programme closes until next summer. Anyone still holding an open requirement should treat the remaining weeks as spot rather than programme volume, and should expect count profiles to skew smaller than the peak-season offer.

Pomegranate: past peak, quality holding

Pomegranate opened at the end of August and reached peak volume in the first week of September. Volume is now easing back from that peak while grading standards stay firm. Wonderful is the export variety, and the useful window for programme buyers runs to roughly mid-November depending on growing area.

The point worth making to buyers taking their first Egyptian pomegranate container is that the defects that show up at destination are largely made in transit rather than in the field. Husk scald and aril breakdown come from a set point that is wrong or a pallet that was never pre-cooled properly. Sizing, counts and carton formats are set out in our pomegranate export specification.

Autumn roots and storage crops

Sweet potato lifting is under way and the curing rooms are running, with the export window opening in October. Autumn-crop potato is being lifted for regional markets. Onion and garlic are moving out of store, and both are sold on cure quality as much as on size. These are the crops that carry the October to December period, and they ship in ventilated dry containers rather than reefers on most lanes, which changes the freight arithmetic considerably.

Citrus: maturity testing before the first bookings

The citrus line is the event that matters commercially. Navel maturity testing is under way in the main growing areas, colour break is approaching, and the first bookings for the season are being opened. Egyptian Navel typically starts shipping in late November or early December, with Baladi mandarin ahead of it and Valencia following from February. The variety handover is set out month by month in our citrus season calendar.

Two things are worth fixing now rather than in November. First, reefer space for the December to February peak, because allocation on the main citrus lanes tightens well before the fruit is ready. Second, the specification itself: variety, size code, carton format, Brix and maturity ratio, degreening yes or no, set point, and the Incoterm written out in full under Incoterms 2020.

What PEI Trade is loading this month

Late Keitt mango, pomegranate, onion, garlic, fresh herbs and the first autumn roots, shipping through Alexandria, Damietta and Port Said, with third-party inspection available on request. Citrus enquiries for the 2026/2027 season are open for indication now and firm pricing from October.

To discuss a programme for the remainder of 2026 or to open a citrus position for the coming season, message our export desk on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918 with your destination, crop, required specification and monthly volume.