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On May 9, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published on its website Notification No. F. No. Stds/SP-05/A-1. Y(01) Food Safety and Standards (Ayurveda Aahara) Regulations (2022). The notification had previously been published in the Gazette of India (official gazette) on May 6, 2022.

FAS New Delhi (Post) is lowering its India market year (MY) 2022/2023 (April-March) wheat production forecast to 99 million metric tons (MMT) compared to the pre-harvest forecast of 110 MMT. The MY 2022/2023 wheat exports forecast is lowered to 6 MMT and ending stocks to 8.5 MMT due to tightening supplies.

Post forecasts marketing year (MY) 2022/23 coffee production (Oct/Sep) to increase by 3.8 percent to 5.74 million 60-kilogram bags. Above normal pre-monsoon rains coupled with expectations of an early onset of normal monsoon are expected to improve yields, especially for Robusta in major growing regions.

As the world’s largest whiskey consumer and a rising consumer of wine, India provides numerous opportunities for U.S. alcoholic beverage exports. To capture greater market share and generate enthusiasm and demand for U.S. alcohol, the Foreign Agricultural Service in New Delhi conducted U.S. alcoholic beverage promotions in New Delhi and Chennai, on March 10 and April 8, 2022, respectively.

On May 24, 2022, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry/Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued notification No. 10/2015-20, amending its sugar export policy. The notification specifies that exports of raw, refined, and white sugar fall under the “restricted” category.

On May 24, 2022, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry/Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued Public Notice No. 10/2015-20 (May 24, 2022) (see, Appendix I). The public notice specifies that India is allocating a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 2 million metric tons (MMT) for crude soybean oil and a similar TRQ of 2 MMT for crude sunflower oil in India fiscal year (IFY) 2022/23 and in IFY 2023/24. The Indian government’s measure is meant to address the high domestic prices of edible oils, and to check rising food inflation.

Heat stress resulting from an unprecedented spike in temperatures beginning in the mid-March 2022 has had a marked impact India’s wheat crop. Yields are 10-15 percent down, driving India’s forecasted market year (MY) 2022/23 (April-March) wheat production down from 110 million metric tons (MMT) to 99 MMT.

On May 2, 2022, the Ministry of Consumer, Food and Public Distribution, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced approval for the importation of an additional 550,000 metric tons (MT) of soybean meal (including GE derived).

On Friday, May 13, 2022, the Indian government announced a ban on wheat exports, effective immediately, citing the sudden spike in global wheat prices and the resulting food security risks to India.

India notified its draft Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Second Amendment) Order (2022), to the Sanitary-Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is inviting comments.

Through its phased-in tariff reductions, the agreement will raise challenges for U.S. products including wine and spirits, cotton, pulses and beans, forest products, and tree nuts.

From February 13-17, 2022, FAS New Delhi and Mumbai representatives participated in a trade mission to Gulfood 2022, the world’s largest food and beverage trade show held annually in Dubai.