Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Ezzedin Abu Steit said Tuesday the European Union is the country's first partner in terms of exports and imports.

Trade exchange between the two sides hit more than 26 billion dollars last year while the volume of the European investments in Egypt amounted to 15 million, he said.

The minister's statements came in a speech read out by Mona Mehrez, deputy minister of agriculture for animal wealth, at a workshop to review the requirements of EU countries to import Egyptian crops in cooperation with the European Commission.

Minister Abu Steit said the ministry is interested in exporting safe and healthy agricultural products to the European Union.