Egypt has not suspended exports of grapes, strawberries or any other agricultural product, the Trade and Industry Ministry confirmed in a Tuesday statement picked up by AMAY, dismissing rumors suggesting otherwise. The ministry is working on boosting exports, the statement adds, and recently reached an agreement to begin exporting grapes to China. The newly-established Export Development Authority had rolled out a five-year export promotion strategy for 2017-2023 to streamline processes and enforce strict quality standards, after Saudi Arabia and other countries in the GCC issued temporary bans on imports of Egyptian strawberries and peppers over concerns of high levels of pesticides. The Agriculture Ministry is also working on legislation that would regulate pesticide usage and set heftier penalties for violators.