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On June 27, 2024, the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry signed Decree No. 361/2024. The Decree extended the shelf-life validity period for imported frozen beef liver from seven to twelve months and for frozen fish from six to ten months. The decree is valid for six months, as of July 1, 2024, and expires on December 31, 2024.

Morocco is facing low wheat production in marketing year 2024/25 due to drought. The Ministry of Agriculture forecasts total wheat and barley production at 3.12 million metric tons, about 43 percent down from the previous year’s crop. In response to low production and rising wheat prices globally, the government of Morocco continues to support bread wheat imports based on a fixed flat-rate payment through June 30, 2024.

Post maintains Algeria’s wheat and barley harvested areas unchanged in marketing year (MY) 2024/25. Sensory data shows normal vegetation in the central and eastern regions and below normal crop conditions in the western for the MY2024/25 crop.

With a gross domestic product of $536.83 billion and projected growth of 4.2 percent in 2024, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ranks as the second largest economy in the Arab world, with substantial consumer spending driven by high per capita income.

South Africa is one of the most advanced and varied economies in Africa, boasting a strong business sector and advanced distribution networks to major urban centers in the country and throughout the entire Southern African region.

Record orange juice prices are expected to escalate orange juice production as growers increase deliveries for processing. Growers are diverting oranges from the export market and local sales towards processing on favorable prices.

Post production forecasts for tangerines/mandarins, oranges, lemons, and orange juice remain unchanged from the December 20 Annual Citrus Report. MY 2023/24 export figures are revised based on trade data received from Morocco’s office des changes.

On June 9, FAS received communication from the Algerian government clarifying that the Grand Mosque of Paris (GMP) halal certification requirement for imports to Algeria apply only to product originating from France, or from another European market where the GMP operates a halal certifying office.

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on Algeria. The report provides an overview of the three market sectors - food retail, food service, and food processing in Algeria.

Saudi Arabia is a major market ($1.55 billion) for U.S. food and agricultural products, and there are plenty of opportunities to export a wide range of new-to-market U.S. food products.

In late May 2024, the Egyptian Government announced its intention to increase the price of subsidized bread (from 5 piasters {$.001} per loaf to 20 piasters {$.004} per loaf) as of June 1, 2024 -- marking the first increase in the price of subsidized bread in Egypt in 36 years.

On May 10, 2024, the Moroccan market opened for U.S. seed potatoes. The United States and Morocco agreed to the final requirements for import during the Plant Health Bilateral Meetings between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Morocco’s sanitary authority (ONSSA) from May 6-10, 2024.