Egypt Tops China's Agricultural Imports From the Middle East With 25.9% Share
Egypt accounted for 25.9 per cent of China's agricultural imports from the Middle East in January-July 2026, with shipments up 90.3 per cent year on year, according to data from the China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products. China's total imports from the region slipped 0.7 per cent to $1.07 billion, while two-way agricultural trade reached $4.37 billion. Fruit, vegetable oils, aquatic products, cotton and flax made up 73.6 per cent of the import basket.
Egypt was the largest single source of China's agricultural imports from the Middle East in the first seven months of 2026, accounting for 25.9 per cent of the total, according to data released by the China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products and reported by Xinhua. Chinese purchases from Egypt rose 90.3 per cent year on year.
Two-way agricultural trade between China and Middle Eastern countries reached $4.37 billion between January and July, up 1.9 per cent from a year earlier. China's imports from the region came to $1.07 billion, down 0.7 per cent — a far shallower decline than the 15.6 per cent contraction recorded in the same period of 2025. The chamber said conditions improved across a number of markets and commodities, with fruit, vegetable oils and aquatic products posting strong gains.
Three suppliers account for about 70 per cent
Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey together supplied roughly 70 per cent of China's agricultural imports from the region, with shares of 25.9 per cent, 21.6 per cent and 21.2 per cent respectively. Because the regional import pool as a whole edged lower, Egypt's lead came from taking share rather than from an expanding market.
Several smaller suppliers posted steeper percentage gains. Imports from Oman rose 302.8 per cent, while Saudi Arabia and Morocco advanced 25.4 per cent and 21.9 per cent. Tunisia recorded the fastest growth of all at 458.6 per cent, although its share of total imports remained limited at 0.4 per cent. The chamber's regional grouping counts North African countries alongside Gulf states and Turkey.
Fruit, vegetable oils and cotton dominate the basket
Five product groups made up 73.6 per cent of China's agricultural imports from the region:
- fruit and fruit products — 22.5 per cent
- vegetable oils — 15 per cent
- aquatic and marine products and related goods — 14.5 per cent
- cotton — 13.6 per cent
- flax — 7.9 per cent
Growth was concentrated in the same categories. Fruit and fruit product imports rose 28.3 per cent year on year, vegetable oils 17.5 per cent, and aquatic and marine products and related goods 43.4 per cent. Flax imports jumped 243.9 per cent, the fastest rate among the main categories, though its share of the total remained small.
Duty-free access reshapes African supply
China began applying zero-tariff treatment on 1 May to all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, including Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia — the three North African suppliers whose shipments to China grew during the period covered by the chamber's data.
Figures from the General Administration of Customs of China show imports from Africa reached 193.8 billion yuan (about $28.87 billion) in May and June, up 23.5 per cent year on year. Avocado imports rose 130 per cent, apples 89.6 per cent, oranges 27.9 per cent and grapefruit 11.9 per cent.
Xinhua linked the figures to China's continued market opening and trade facilitation measures with its partners. The chamber's dataset covers January to July, meaning only three months of trade under the new tariff arrangement are reflected in the totals.
