Browse Data and Analysis

Production volumes of wheat and barley in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 are forecast to remain unchanged compared to last year, while corn production is expected to drop year-to-year by 1.2 million metric tons (MMT) as farmers switch to growing more profitable crops, such as cotton and other row crops.

FAS/Cairo (Post) forecasts Egypt’s soybean imports in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 (October – September) to increase by 14.8 percent from the previous marketing year, due to an influx of foreign currency into Egyptian banks.

Post projects marketing year (MY) 2024/2025 soybean production at 10.3 million metric tons (MMT) with increased planted area of to 3.59 million hectares on increased second crop planting.

Taiwan’s soybean imports are forecast at 2.65 MMT for MY2023/2024 and MY2024/2025, a slight recovery from the previous MY. Weakness in feed demand due to animal diseases was one of the causes for lower soybean imports and reduced crush for MY 2022/2023.

In 2023, Taiwan imported US$3.7 billion agricultural products from the US, which accounted for 24.47 percent of the island’s total import value. Its food processing industry produced $30 billion of processed food and beverages, among which the strongest subsectors are animal feed, meat processing, baked goods, and non-alcoholic beverages.

The Brazilian Food Processors' Association reported 2023 Brazilian food processing sector revenues at US$231 billion, a growth of 7.2 percent compared to the previous year.

Post forecasts an increase in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 cotton imports on higher global demand for ready-made garments. Despite Bangladesh’s economic challenges, Post maintains MY 2023/24 cotton imports at 7.5 million bales, on lower yarn and fabric imports.

FAS/Tel Aviv (Post) forecasts Israel’s marketing year (MY) 2024/45 wheat imports to increase due a decline in domestic production, a need to increase stocks because of the Israel-Hamas conflict, as well as lower international grain prices.

In MY2024/2025, Taiwan’s wheat imports are forecast at 1.4 MMT. The United States is expected to recover market share from Australia due to better competitiveness and availability. MY2023/2024 and MY2024/2025 corn imports are forecast to recover to 4.55 MMT due to improved feed demand outlook, with restocking in both the hog and poultry sectors.

On February 15, 2024, the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) Management Committee issued an Administrative Circular (AC) that increased the annual MAV or Tariff Rate Quota for chipping potatoes from 30,000 to 60,000 metric tons (MT).

On July 7, 2024, Chile’s new alcoholic beverages labeling law will come into force. The law aims to warn drivers, pregnant women, and minors about the impacts of consuming alcohol and to restrict the advertisements that could be directed to minors.

On March 12, 2024, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) National Health Commission (NHC) and State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly published 47 new or updated national food safety standards and six amendments.