Egyptian mango season 2026 — twelve varieties, twelve answers.
Egypt produces more export-grade mango cultivars than most origins manage in a decade. That's a problem for first-time buyers who think "Egyptian mango" is one thing and get Zebdia when they wanted Keitt — or vice versa. This is the full variety-by-variety calendar from the AFRICAFRESH EXPORT sourcing desk: when each peaks, what it's good for, and how to structure a multi-variety programme across the July-to-November export window.
The 12 Egyptian export mango cultivars
Egypt's mango-growing belt runs across the Nile Delta (Ismailia, Sharqia, Beheira) and the reclaimed desert lands of Ismailia and Qalyubia. The season opens around early July and closes in mid-November, with a 4–6 week peak for most varieties. Here's the full export list ordered roughly by peak date:
| Variety | Peak | Brix | Fibre | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fagr Kelan | Early Jul | 15–17 | Low | GCC early-season retail; opens the Egyptian window before Indian peak closes. |
| Tymor (Taimour) | Jul–Aug | 15–18 | Low-medium | GCC and Central Asian retail; distinctive aromatic profile. |
| Awees (Oweiss) | Jul–Aug | 14–16 | Medium | Juice processors and mid-tier retail; consistent caliber. |
| Indian | Jul–Sep | 16–19 | Low | Premium retail; sweet, smooth flesh, strong in European gift-pack segments. |
| Alfons | Aug–Sep | 18–21 | Very low | Egyptian take on Alphonso. Top-tier retail; air freight. |
| Zebdia (Zebdya) | Aug–Oct | 16–20 | Low | Volume workhorse. GCC wholesale, retail, HORECA. |
| Sukarya | Aug–Sep | 17–20 | Low | High-Brix premium; similar positioning to Alfons. |
| Senara | Aug–Oct | 15–17 | Medium | Juice and purée processing; reliable caliber. |
| Mabrouka | Sep–Oct | 16–18 | Low | Late-season retail; extends Egyptian window. |
| Sideeka | Sep–Oct | 15–17 | Medium | Value retail; wholesale markets; smaller caliber. |
| Keitt | Oct–Nov | 14–17 | Very low | European retail (Keitt is the globally recognisable name). Late season = lower competition from Brazil and Peru. |
| Kent (imported cultivar) | Oct–Nov | 16–19 | Very low | Large caliber, strong shelf life, European retail premium tier. |
How to structure a programme
Early season (July): Fagr Kelan + Tymor
Egypt's July window is uniquely valuable because it bridges the end of Pakistani / Indian export supply and the start of the main European retail mango period. Fagr Kelan opens the Egyptian season around week 27; Tymor follows a week or two later and overlaps with Indian-origin tail. For GCC buyers wanting continuous mango supply, a July programme of Fagr Kelan + Tymor through air freight (24–48 h door-to-door to Jebel Ali / Dammam / Doha) closes the gap cleanly.
Main volume window (August–September): Zebdia is king
Two-thirds of Egyptian export mango volume ships as Zebdia (also spelled Zebdya) during August and September. It's a workhorse — consistent caliber, Brix 16–20, ships well by reefer, and lands acceptably in every major export market. If your programme has one SKU, it's Zebdia. GCC reefer transit (3–5 days from Suez/Alexandria to Jebel Ali/Jeddah/Dammam/Doha) allows sea-freight economics during this window.
Alfons and Sukarya sit alongside Zebdia as premium lines — higher Brix, lower fibre, typically air-freighted in 2.5–3 kg closed cartons to premium retail channels.
Late season (October–November): Keitt and Kent
Egyptian Keitt is commercially important for European buyers because it carries a globally recognisable variety name and arrives in weeks when Brazilian and Peruvian Keitt volumes are thin. The Egyptian Keitt window (October–November) also coincides with European retail's year-end and early-winter promotional slots. Kent, an imported cultivar grown on select Egyptian farms, extends the premium-tier window into mid-November.
Packaging and freight choice
- Open-top 3.5 / 4 / 5 kg cartons — sea freight; wholesale and commodity retail. Counts per carton: 9, 10, 12, 14.
- Closed 2.5 / 3 kg cartons — air freight; premium retail and gift-pack. Individual-fruit foam liners for Alfons / Sukarya.
- Reefer setpoint: 10–13 °C (variety-dependent). Pre-cooling within 2 hours of harvest is essential — mangoes chill-injure below 10 °C and over-ripen above 14 °C in transit.
- Transit: GCC 3–5 days reefer or 12–24 h air; Europe 4–10 days reefer or 4–6 h air; Central Asia via Poti 14–18 days reefer or 24–48 h air.
Booking windows
For full-season programmes, AFRICAFRESH EXPORT opens Egyptian mango quotations in late April for the coming July start. Buyers who commit volumes by end-May typically secure:
- Weekly allocation locks on Zebdia for August–September.
- Alfons / Sukarya air-freight slots (these run out fastest).
- Agreed CIF pricing with a ±5% band — useful in a year with volatile reefer rates.
For Ramadan supply planning (Ramadan 2026 falls in February–March, so this applies to the following year's booking cycle), see our separate Ramadan Barhi-date booking guide.
Related reading
- Egyptian Mangoes product page
- Egypt logistics & transit times
- GCC sourcing guide (Ramadan + standard season)
- European sourcing guide (Keitt late-season)