EGYPT STUDY TOUR - IFEAT

its history, its agriculture, its demographics and its opportunities and threats. He was very open andforthright in his comments and raised some contentious issues that currently affect and will affect theEgyptian industry in the future, such as injudicious use of water, water shortage, pollution, productionissues and quality. It was refreshingly honest and candid.Hussein was able to pull together the various elements and visits so that by the time the bus hadarrived at the Fakhry establishment, many loose ends had been neatly tied, leaving everyone with athorough overall understanding of the Egyptian Essential Oils Industry.A Fakhry and Company has been involved in essential oils andextracts since 1955 and is fully and demonstratably committedto working with an environmentally-friendly/organicemphasis. Its activities are organised around a nucleus of 65hectares of fields planted with some 50 varieties of organicallycertified aromatic crops. This organic nucleus as well as aconventional farming network of over 1,000 hectares gives theCompany considerable advantage and is able to produceapproximately 130 different variously-certified naturals,including essences, essential oils, hydrolats, concretes,absolutes, waxes and a number of specialty fresh and driedbotanicals.Environmentally friendlytransport on Fakhry Farm with‘Hummer’ the muleHussein Fakhry outliningactivities before a high speedwalk around the farm to workoff the baklavaIt was a wonderfulvisit. Each visit hadbeen different and each with its own characteristics and'personality'. And so it was with the Fakhry establishment.There was much evidence of a sincere and total commitmentto organic production.A well-co-ordinated experience of fields, nursery,composting, harvest, transport, production and sensoryevaluation of the end product – in a charming setting under aspreading grape vine, to the haunting accompaniment of anEgyptian version of a horizontal harp (I was told the name butcannot remember it I'm afraid) and ice-cold refreshments and dare I say it – another splendid lunch,taken al fresco along the banks of the Nile tributary.Hussein Fakhry describes his activities as "'doing different things and doing things differently". That'sfor sure!Back to Cairo for the final event of the programme - a farewell dinner on the Nile Pharaoh, anelaborate 'Cleopatra-style' barge that cruised up and down the Nile while we chatted and enjoyed foodand refreshments, with a band and floor show and a few simple-minded members of the tour party -press-ganged by the Organising Committee no less - displaying their complete lack of talent at bellydancingunder the tutelage of a – ahem – gorgeous looking teacher with great - ahem – eyes, except forone member of the group who showed remarkable talent and for reasons of anonymity and potentialtrouble at home, won't be mentioned, with payment of a small fee of course.179