Browse Data and Analysis

In 2022, the Chilean retail food industry witnessed a robust recovery, with total sales reaching approximately $29.5 billion, a 20.9 percent over 2021. Supermarkets and grocery stores remained the primary retail channels for food products, accounting for around 55.5 percent of the market share.

Colombia is the main market for U.S. consumer-oriented products in South America. In 2022, U.S. consumer-oriented exports to Colombia reached a record $877 million.

The Dominican Republic (DR) continues to list as one of the fastest growing and most dynamic economies in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2022, U.S. agricultural exports totaled nearly $2.2 billion, an all-time record, powered by strong demand for consumer-oriented products. The

U.S. Consumer Oriented products continue to feature prominently in Salvadoran retail outlets, registering a new record-high of $281.5 million of imports in 2022.

In 2022, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and independent food stores continued adding locations, but retail volume sales fell versus 2021.

For 2023/24, Post forecasts soybean planted area at 45.2 million hectares (ha), and production at 159 million metric tons (MMT), based on a yield of 3.52 mt per ha.

Mexico, with its growing population, market-oriented agricultural and food sectors, and 2,000-mile land border with the United States, is the second-largest export market for U.S. agricultural products.

The federal government opened consultations on regulatory changes to the Food and Drug Regulations to allow the incorporation by reference of food compositional standards.

Peru´s food retail sector grew 2.7 percent in 2022. Growth was driven by better performance of the modern channel, especially in the development of new store formats and an aggressive discounting campaign to encourage sales.

With Brazil continuing to produce record corn crops, Post forecasts corn production for MY 2023/24 at 131 MMT, up 1.6 percent from the current season. However, falling profit margins and ongoing infrastructure and logistics hurdles may impact the next harvest’s outcome.

This report outlines the regulatory requirements and import procedures for food and agricultural products entering Costa Rica.

This report provides information and guidance on the export certification requirements for U.S. products entering Costa Rica. This report supplements the 2023 Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Report prepared by the San Jose Office of Agricultural Affairs.