AHK Egypt hosted a roundtable discussion on combating the illicit trade of pesticides in Egypt, organized in cooperation with CropLife Egypt under the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework (SPMF) on 3rd March 2026. The meeting brought together key representatives from government authorities, regulatory bodies, and the private sector to strengthen coordination and explore practical solutions to this growing challenge.
Participants discussed the current landscape of illegal and counterfeit pesticides and their impact on farmers, consumers, and Egypt’s agricultural exports. The exchange highlighted the importance of stronger coordination between regulatory bodies, customs authorities, and industry stakeholders to improve detection, enforcement, and information sharing across the agricultural value chain.
The roundtable brought together the following participants:
- Hala Abu Youssef – Head of the Agricultural Pesticide Committee
- Karin El-Shafei – Operations Head, AHK Egypt
- Osama El-Khouly – Egyptian Customs Authority
- Mohamed El-Sayed – Anti-Smuggling Department, Customs Authority
- Dr. Sayed Khalifa – Head of the Agricultural Syndicate
- Eman Mohamed – General Director of Residue Testing Laboratories, GOEIC
- Ashraf Samy – National Food Safety Authority
- Rasha Gamal – Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority
- Amr Mousa – Board Member, CropLife Egypt
- Said Abdella – CropLife Egypt
- Mahmoud Said – CropLife Egypt
- Ziad Arafa – Agriculture Working Group Project Manager, AHK Egypt
- Ahmed Hesham – Chemicals Working Group Project Manager, AHK Egypt
- Refaat Abdelkerim – Pesticide Retailer
The meeting also resulted in a set of practical recommendations, including:
- Expanding the working group to involve additional stakeholders from relevant authorities and institutions.
- Strengthening penalties and enforcement measures against illicit pesticide trade.
- Improving coordination between port authorities and technical laboratories to enhance inspection procedures.
- Establishing pesticide testing capabilities at key entry points to accelerate detection and enforcement.
- Promoting capacity building and specialized training for customs and surveillance teams.
- Encouraging international knowledge exchange and sharing best practices to support more effective enforcement efforts.
The working group will continue advancing these efforts through joint coordination, training initiatives, and knowledge exchange, with the next meeting scheduled for 23 June 2026.
For more information about our Agriculture working group, please contact:
For more information about our Chemical working group, please contact:
