94.1FM 3WBC – Egypt Australia Radio Show [ EARS ] with Jerry Guirguis interviewing Mr. Francois Darcas at Agri-Oz Exports (Aust) Pty. Ltd.,

Thursday 21 March 2024.

Froncois Darcas

Agri-Oz Exports (Aust) Pty Ltd

Agri-Oz Commodities Pty Ltd

         Studied Agricultural science & economics in France.  Studied business in USA.

·        In grain business since 1989.  First in USA, then Hong Kong, then France, then Australia since 2001

·        First exported Chinese broad beans to Egypt in 1992. 

·        Started own business in 2013 in Australia, with strong focus on exports of faba beans to Egypt, and focus mostly on pulses exports from Australia to Asia and Middle East

Listen & watch interview NOW [ https://youtu.be/pCUyzz5gya4 ]

Hi Francois,  …………………….

can I start by highlighting these incredible figures   …………..

Australian Faba beans and other Legumes, exported to Egypt, is one of the great and on-going trading & partnership stories 

between Australia and Egypt.

In 2016, Egypt imported ~ about 300,000 tons of Fab beans from Australia, to the value of $180 Million, [ 300,000 x $600/ton ]

                                                                                                                                                                        $199 Million,

In 2021……………………........................……………………………………………………………………..……… $215 Million

                                                                     Value in Aust. Dollars :                          Faba beans ~ $300/tonne [ 2014 ]

                                                                                                                                         $400/tonne

                                                                                                                                         $600/tonne [ 2016 ]

With the recent devaluation of the Egyptian pound against USD [ 1 USD ~ = 50 EGP ],

Q1]  How will this affect the trade?

                     Houthis’ effect on the Red Sea shipping line,

[ 2021 ~ 2022 post Covid ] there was a shortages of shipping containers,

         also a number of Australian states suffered torrential rain in 2023 and Faba beans yields were down, ……..

                     [ Egypt-Ans ] Egypt will continue to buy Australian faba beans even if it reaches $1,000/tonne

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

United Nations, declared 10th February, is the International day of Pulses.

Australian farmers supply 90% of Faba Beans to the World market, in fact, 75% of Australian faba beans is shipped ONLY to Egypt

[ FAO ] UN Food and Agriculture Organization, project between 500,000 ~ 1.5 million tons Faba beans will be in demand annually

Globally, ~ about 4 million tons of faba beans is consumed annually.

even though, China produces ~ 2 million tons, it also consumes ~ about 1.6 million tons,

then the next lovers of Faba beans are the Egyptians, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Morocco. 

We said, the biggest producer of Faba beans are the Chinese, ~ about 2 million tons is produced annually,

followed by Ethiopia, United Kingdom (U.K.), Australia and then France.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Q2]      Faba beans is Faba beans, right !,

so what’s the difference between the Faba Beans exported from Australia, to the Faba beans that’s locally grown in Egypt and from other

countries ?    France / UK / Baltic countries [ Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania ]   ?

[ Egypt-Ans ]  Size , No Insecticides in Australian soil, No Faba bean Weevil in Australian

We know Fuul Medames is Faba beans cooked slowly to perfection, and those delicious Falafels are made from Broad beans.

Q3]      What percent of Australian Faba beans that’s imported into Egypt is allocated for Egyptian consumption?

                        Sold to Canning food factories, Animal feed, Fisheries and Aquaculture [ Aquafeeds ] , Protein extraction from Faba bean

                     [ Egypt-Ans ]  at least 90%           

            Egypt is known for its natural fertile farming land.

Q4]      How can the Australian/Egyptian farmers exchange R&D knowledge to get the best Faba beans and other legumes yields around the world ?

                        Trip Discovery / Farming Exchange programs

Q5]      How are the Egyptian & Australian governments working together in growing this trade ?

                        Agricultural Science and research, Capital Investment [ Canning factories & food production plants ], Food Security & Biosecurity

            Egypt holds an annual Food Africa Cairo trade event around December

            Australia also puts on similar Grains/Pulses & Legumes events around June

Q6]  Will you be attending these upcoming conferences?

and what would you like to see at these events ?

Best Regards

Jerry Guirguis

Presenter

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