Transformation of Egypt into a Leading Supplier of Dehydrated Onions to the Japanese Market

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the transformation of Egypt transformation into one of the leading suppliers of dehydrated onions to Japan. The study introduces economical, historical, political and cultural factors, in order to understand how a product from Egypt, has become to occupy one of the first places in the Japan's market, a country so distant from Egypt not only in geographical terms.Both countries have very different histories. However, in both of them dehydrated onions has become a very important product. In Egypt it is an export item and in Japan it is a key ingredient of a great number of processed food items that are increasingly demanded in this country. This trend is due basically to demographic changes and to innovations in the food culture of the Japanese population. Shortcomings of the national production, due to the specific kind of development of Japan's agriculture after the Second World War, explain the imports of the studied product. In this scenario Egypt has been remarkably advancing, confronting and overcoming numerous competitors. This capacity of the Egyptian exporters has its origin in their agricultural traditions, as well as in the policies implemented by the Egyptian government. Thereafter, we present the experiences, opinions and assessments of managers of the five most important Egyptian enterprises that are exporting dehydrated onions.