Egyptian trade minister: Potato exports banned in six European countries

Ahmed Goweili, the Egyptian minister of trade and supply, announced during his meeting with exporters and producers of potatoes that the Egyptian government absolutely opposes the decision of the European Union in setting up preventive conditions that restrict exports of Egyptian potatoes.

Goweili criticized the EU's decision as "unjustified and intransigent," denying Egyptian potatoes have an infectious disease as claimed by France, Denmark, Finland, Spain and Portugal, Map reported.

Only 0.4 percent of the Egyptian potatoes exported to the EU have been rejected due to the infection with the brown mold, he said, adding that this is "the lowest ratio of infection" in the world.

He said the EU's decision was taken for "merely protective reasons."

Egypt has been applying political and economic efforts to persuade European countries to reverse their decision to impose anti-dumping duties and bans on Egyptian exports, the minister said.

An EU committee is due in Cairo next month to discuss the dispute. The EU demands its importers to import potatoes only from plantations pronounced clear of the brown plant disease under the inspection of a joint committee. It also calls for a total ban on the import of Egyptian potatoes if the mold in the products exceeds a certain percentage, Map reported.

Goweili stated that there are efforts underway to adjust this decision and that a message will be drawn up for the European Union concerning this matter, adding that Egypt aims at maintaining its interest.

Within this framework, it was agreed among Egyptian exporters and producers to specify a share of potatoes of 150,000 tons for export to the European markets, within what was stated by the European decision banning exports to France, Spain, Finland, Denmark, Holland and Belgium."