In 2017, Saudi Arabia banned imports of various Egyptian agricultural products, including strawberries, peppers, and guava, because of the high percentage of pesticide residue in violation of international health and safety standards.
However, in March 2018, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture announced that Egyptian and Saudi officials agreed that Saudi Arabia would revoke the ban on imports of Egyptian strawberries and peppers.
The Minister pointed out that strict standards on agricultural exports are applied – any increase in exports depends upon compliance with these standards.