Egyptian mangoes still popular despite hep A scare

AMMAN — Despite global concern about the safety of Egyptian fruit, Jordanian consumers continue to purchase Egyptian mangoes, which have witnessed a sharp drop in price, retailers said on Monday. 

Russia recently banned Egyptian fruit and vegetable exports after Egyptian strawberries were linked to 119 cases of hepatitis A in the US, and rumours that Egyptian exports were unsafe for consumption also spread in Jordan. 

But fruit and vegetable retailer Ziad Shalabi said around 60 cartons of Egyptian mangoes were sold daily by six retailers in Amman’s Nadi Al Sibaq, and “no one has complained about any problems”. 

“The price of Egyptian mangoes has dropped to around JD1.25 per kg. This has never happened before; we used to sell it for JD2-2.5 a kilo,” Shalabi told The Jordan Times.

He added that the price had started to fall “before the spread of rumours about Egyptian products”. 

The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) said there was no cause for alarm over the safety of Egyptian produce entering the Kingdom. 

JFDA Director Hayel Obeidat told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, earlier this week that the administration is “closely examining” Egyptian imports to ensure they are fit for consumption, in coordination with the Agriculture Ministry, Egyptian authorities and the US Food and Drug Administration. 

Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin also said consumers should not be concerned. 

“In general, there is nothing that causes worry. The ministry’s technicians perform the required tests on the products that reach the Kingdom and our procedures are strict,” Haddadin told The Jordan Times

Obeidat said the JFDA was aware of the US reports on Egyptian produce and was taking the necessary precautions. 

Earlier in September, the US Centre for Disease Control reported 119 cases of hepatitis A linked to strawberry smoothies consumed at a café chain. The strawberries used in the drinks were reportedly imported from Egypt.

Around seven tonnes of Egyptian mangoes enter Jordanian markets daily, said Abdul Majeed Odwan, the executive manager of markets for the Greater Amman Municipality, adding that the low price of the fruit was attracting more customers.  

Egyptian strawberries are not sold in Jordanian markets because domestic strawberries are available, he said. 

Um Hamzah said her consumption of mangoes had not been affected by suspected links to the infectious disease, because she trusts in the procedures applied to monitor imported produce.

If there were any problems with the produce, it would have been pulled from the market, she told The Jordan Times.