Do Chilean or US walnuts also enter Egypt duty-free?

No. Neither Chile nor the US has a free trade agreement with Egypt, so their walnuts pay the full 20%. That is why we only offer Argentine origin for Egypt.

Raíz Andina is an Italian company. Do the goods keep the 0% rate?

Yes. The preference belongs to the origin of the goods, not to the seller. Article 15 of the agreement allows invoicing by an operator in a third country, provided the certificate of origin states that invoice's number, date and issuer. We request it that way from the Argentine packer on every shipment.

Can I mix products in one container?

Yes. Walnuts, prunes, raisins, peanuts and pecans can be combined by pallet in the same dry container, all with the tariff preference. The minimum order is one pallet (around 2,100 kg).

Which ports do you ship to and on what terms?

We quote CFR or CIF Alexandria, El Dekheila, Damietta or Port Said, in US dollars and with a short validity. The route runs through the Atlantic and Gibraltar, without crossing the Suez Canal or the Strait of Hormuz.

What payment terms do you work with?

With a new buyer: a confirmed irrevocable letter of credit from a first-tier bank, or a 30–50% advance with the balance cash against documents. We do not offer open account on a first order.

Do you need halal certification?

Egypt does not require halal certification for nuts or dried fruit, only for meat and poultry. If your retail customers ask for it, tell us when you request a quote.

Open container at the Port of Alexandria with sacks of walnuts, prunes, raisins and peanuts

For importers and distributors in Egypt

Argentine nuts and dried fruit, duty-free into Egypt

Walnuts, prunes, raisins, peanuts and pecans of Argentine origin, mixed in one container and shipped CFR Alexandria. Under the Mercosur–Egypt FTA they clear at 0% duty; the same product from Chile, the US or Turkey pays between 20% and 40%.

Request a CFR Alexandria quote WhatsApp

duty on Argentine origin under the Mercosur–Egypt FTA: 0%; duty on Argentine origin under the Mercosur–Egypt FTA
general tariff on the same products from Chile, the US or Turkey: 20–40%; general tariff on the same products from Chile, the US or Turkey
Buenos Aires to Alexandria, without Suez: ~29 days; Buenos Aires to Alexandria, without Suez
minimum order, mixed in one container: 1 pallet; minimum order, mixed in one container

Why the origin decides your landed cost

Egypt applies its preferential duty to goods of Mercosur origin with a certificate of origin, wherever the seller is based. Argentine prunes, raisins and peanuts have entered at 0% since September 2024, and walnuts and pecans complete their phase-out in 2026. Chile and the US have no trade agreement with Egypt and pay the general tariff. On a USD 100,000 CIF container of walnuts, that is a USD 20,000 difference in duty.

Egyptian import duty by origin
Product	HS code	Chile, US, Turkey (general tariff)	Argentine origin
Raisins	0806.20	40%	0%
Prunes	0813.20	30%	0%
In-shell walnuts and kernels	0802.31 / .32	20%	0% (phase-out ends 2026)
Pecans	0802.90	20%	0% (phase-out ends 2026)
Peanuts, in-shell and shelled	1202.41 / .42	5%	0%

Sources: Egypt's schedule under the Mercosur–Egypt FTA; general tariff per Presidential Decree 419/2018. Checked on 28 September 2026. Always confirm the rate on the arrival date with your customs broker. Read the full guide.

Five products, one container, all at 0%

We only offer Argentine origin for Egypt. Combine them by pallet: a yamish wholesaler does not need to fill 20 tonnes with a single product.

Argentine Chandler walnuts

In-shell and kernels. Fills the gap Chile left: Egypt bought 21,641 t of Chilean walnuts in 2019–2023 and only 147 t in 2024.

Data sheet

Prunes from Mendoza

Argentina was Egypt's No. 1 prune supplier in 2024, with 52% of the value. A yamish staple.

Data sheet

Raisins from San Juan

The widest duty gap in the range: 0% against 40% for origins without a preference.

Data sheet

Argentine peanuts

Argentina was Egypt's No. 2 supplier of shelled peanuts in 2024 (630 t). Sizes and blanching to order.

Data sheet

Argentine pecans

Egypt is already an open destination for Argentine pecans. New crop from April.

Data sheet

Logistics

To Alexandria through Gibraltar, not Suez

Buenos Aires to Alexandria takes around 29 days across the Atlantic and into the Mediterranean. No Suez Canal, no Strait of Hormuz, no war risk surcharge. Every product in the range travels in a dry container.

CFR or CIF Alexandria, El Dekheila, Damietta or Port Said
Quoted in US dollars, with freight surcharges itemised
Minimum order: 1 pallet (~2,100 kg); samples from 1 to 5 kg
Harvest dates stated in every offer

Ramadan 2027 buying window

October 2026
Yamish contracts with the 2026 southern hemisphere crop
Oct – mid-Dec 2026
Shipments to Alexandria (around 29 days in transit)
7–10 December 2026
Food Africa, Cairo
~8 February 2027
Ramadan begins; Eid al-Fitr around 10 March
April – June 2027
New Argentine walnut and pecan crop: offers for the rest of the year

The last useful shipment for Ramadan leaves in mid-December 2026.

The paperwork is ours from the first shipment

The preference is lost at the certificate of origin, and cargo without an ACID does not clear. You hold the NFSA licence and register on Nafeza; we take care of the rest.

Mercosur certificate of origin

Issued in English before shipment. When we invoice from Italy, article 15 of the FTA (third-party invoicing) applies: the certificate carries our invoice details and the 0% rate holds.

ACI on Nafeza and CargoX

You register the shipment on Nafeza and send us the ACID; we upload the documents to CargoX. We ship only once the ACID is on the invoice, certificate and bill of lading.

Lot analysis to EU limits

Aflatoxins tested against EU limits, which the NFSA follows. SENASA phytosanitary certificate, harvest date and at least 3 months of shelf life on arrival.

Bulk first

Industrial sacks and cartons for importers who pack or distribute. Retail packs trigger factory registration under Decree 43/2016 and an Arabic label, so we quote them separately.

Payment terms with a new buyer: confirmed irrevocable letter of credit, or a 30–50% advance with the balance cash against documents.

FAQ

Questions from Egyptian buyers

Under the Mercosur–Egypt FTA, Argentine prunes, raisins and peanuts enter Egypt at 0% duty; their phase-out ended in September 2024. Walnuts and pecans complete theirs in 2026 (1 September according to the agreement's schedule, early 2027 according to some Argentine sources). Without the preference, Egypt's general tariff is 20% on walnuts and pecans, 30% on prunes and 40% on raisins.

Tariff categories, the certificate of origin, ACI step by step, NFSA requirements and the checklist for a first container: Exporting nuts to Egypt under the Mercosur–Egypt FTA.

Quote for Egypt

Tell us the product, volume and port

We reply within 24 hours with the technical data sheet, the lot analysis and a CFR or CIF quote for your port. For the Ramadan season, contact us before the end of October.

+39 392 446 3086

info@raizandina.com

Reply within 24h
Samples from 1 kg
No commitment