Browse Data and Analysis

Morocco notified G/SPS/N/MAR/89 on October 27, 2022. The notification concerns Morocco’s list and limits of food additives authorized for use in primary products and food products, as well as the information to be displayed on their packaging. Comments are due no later than December 25, 2022. An unofficial translation is included in this report.

The impact of the COVID-19 on the Israeli hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) sector was nothing short of devastating. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, accommodation and foodservice activities declined by forty percent in 2020. The sector started to recover during 2021, and it is expected to recover, with a return to pre-COVID-19 sales by 2023.

Morocco notified G/SPS/N/MAR/87 on October 17, 2022. The notification concerns Morocco’s maximum limits of contaminants in food and food products. Comments are due no later than December 16, 2022. Note that the Government of Morocco approved the Joint Order and published it in the Official Bulletin #7136 on October 20, 2022. An unofficial translation is included in this report.

Saudi Arabia’s barley imports for the first six months of MY 2022/23 (July – Dec. 2022) are estimated at 2.6 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of six percent compared to the same period last year. Post’s current projection for total barley imports for MY 2022/23 is 4.5 MMT, which is a decrease of four percent compared to the USDA official estimate of 4.7 MMT. Unless the price of barley drastically decreases, Post anticipates demand will remain low throughout MY 2022/23.

In 2022, industries report a 35 to 40 percent increase in cultivation costs to reach almost $28,000 per hectare. The increase in costs is due to the challenges of US dollar liquidity and high inflation. In MY 2022/2021, production is expected to reach 1.48 MMT and exports are forecasted at 180,000 MT. In 2022, Egypt added Sri-Lanka and Cameron to the list of importing countries.

Saudi Arabia was a 24th largest market ($1.34 million) for U.S. food and agricultural products last year. A return to pre-Covid living and working conditions are invigorating U.S. agricultural exports to the Kingdom in 2022. U.S. Customs data for January – August 2022 shows an 11 percent increase in U.S. agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia compared to the same period in 2021.

Imports of chicken meat and products in 2023 are forecast to increase to 418,000 metric tons as the UAE’s expanding economy, population, and concomitant building boom fuel higher demand and thus consumption. Transshipments or reexports are playing a growing role in the Arabian Gulf poultry trade and have risen by 74 percent over the last four years.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has adversely impacted the global economy, and Egypt too has felt the wave of effects. Russia’s war on Ukraine has relentlessly disrupted international trade of grains and soybeans as well as other commodities pounding a global economy that had since been improving robustly from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report outlines Libyan government requirements for the importation of food and agricultural products for human and animal consumption. The report aims to assist U.S. exporters by providing an assessment of laws and requirements for food and agricultural products imposed on imports. There is no U.S. representation located inside Libya, and definitive regulatory information is limited.

Algeria is one of the leading consumers and importers of dry milk powder worldwide. The government has prioritized improving Algeria’s dairy domestic production to reduce reliance on imports. In line with this strategy, Algeria imported less milk powder in CY2021.

This report covers food and agricultural import regulations and standards in the United Arab Emirates. U.S. agricultural suppliers are advised to consult with local importers prior to shipping to verify application of this tax on their products.

This report identifies certificate requirements for U.S. food and agricultural products destined for the United Arab Emirates. This report is to be used in conjunction with the 2022 Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Country Report for the United Arab Emirates.