Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Dr. Mohamed Farid, announced that non-petroleum exports from Damietta have risen to $4.1 billion in 2025. This represents a significant increase from $3.6 billion in 2024, accounting for around 8.1% of Egypt's total non-petroleum exports. The minister made the announcement during the launch of the "Egypt Takes Off for Export" initiative in Damietta.
The "Egypt Takes Off for Export" initiative aims to promote direct communication between the government and the business community, identifying challenges faced by companies and their needs to start or increase exports. Dr. Farid emphasized that Damietta possesses significant industrial and export capabilities, with a skilled workforce and known production specializations. The province is also strategically located near Damietta Port.
According to Dr. Farid, Egypt has around 50,000 exporting companies, with the top 45 companies accounting for approximately 43% of total exports. This leaves room for expanding the base of exporters and introducing new companies to the export system from various provinces. The minister aims to have hundreds of new companies join the export system and increase the diversity and geographical spread of exports.
Dr. Farid highlighted that Damietta has a large opportunity to increase its exports, given its industrial and production capabilities. The province is home to the Damietta Furniture City and an investment area covering 331 acres, hosting around 351 projects with investments of approximately 32 billion Egyptian pounds. Additionally, the general free zone has investments exceeding $1.7 billion.
The minister noted that the state has invested in ports and logistics infrastructure, including the trial operation of the "Tahya Misr 1" container terminal at Damietta Port in February 2026. This terminal has a capacity of 3.5 million containers, which will help reduce transportation costs and increase access to new markets for companies.
The export structure of Damietta is diversified, with fertilizers and chemicals leading the way, followed by furniture, textiles, cotton, and food industries. This reflects the importance of Damietta Port as an export gateway serving various production sectors. The minister also mentioned that the Foreign Trade Training Center has trained around 60 companies from Damietta between 2023 and 2026.
Damietta Governor, Dr. Hesham El Din Fouzi, welcomed the "Egypt Takes Off for Export" initiative, stating that it represents an important opportunity for direct communication between government agencies and the business community. The governor emphasized that Damietta has a strong industrial and production base, particularly in the furniture and food industries, and that the province is committed to supporting investors and enhancing their competitiveness.
Key points
- Non-petroleum exports from Damietta rose to $4.1 billion in 2025.
- Egypt aims to increase the diversity and geographical spread of its exports.
- The "Egypt Takes Off for Export" initiative seeks to promote direct communication between the government and the business community.
