Browse Data and Analysis

All foods sold in Australia must comply with a range of laws designed to protect consumer, plant, and animal health. These laws apply equally to imported and locally produced foods. All imported food must comply with quarantine and imported food requirements, and then with food safety requirements.

This report lists examples of the major export certificates and other documentation required by the Government of Australia for U.S. exports of food and agricultural products. Australia’s import requirements for food and agricultural products are complex and change frequently.

This report lists the main Nicaraguan food laws, technical regulations and import requirements. As of June 1, 2022, there were no major changes to Nicaragua’s import procedures since the 2021 FAIRS report.

This report lists Nicaraguan requirements for export certification and import permits for agrochemicals, veterinary products, feedstuffs, and food products for human consumption. There were no significant changes to required export certificates since the 2021 Report.

Health, wellness, and the environment continue to be key purchasing factors for Australian consumers. Portion sizes are increasingly important as consumers want quality over quantity, and they expect packaging to be informative and environmentally responsible.

Milk production in Australia in 2022 is forecast to decrease by over four percent to 8.6 million metric tons (MMT). Despite generally good production conditions for 2022, the slump in milk production is largely due farmers continuing to exit the dairy industry through farm sales and some dairy farms partially or fully transitioning to less labor-intensive beef cattle production.

FAS/Managua projects marketing year 2022/23 coffee production unchanged from the previous year at 2.7 million 60-kilogram bags, as political and economic turmoil in Nicaragua are expected to continue limiting investment in the sector despite strong export prices for the marketing year 2021/22 crop.

Australia is expected to produce another big grain crop in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 after a record setting winter crop and strong summer crop production in MY 2021/22. Another favorable set of conditions around the time of winter grain planting across most production regions of Australia bodes well for another big planted area of wheat and barley for MY 2022/23.

Earlier investments in mechanization, irrigation, and co-generation of electricity for the national energy grid have helped insulate the sugar industry from domestic political instability, but access to and pricing of fuel and fertilizer could negatively affect sugarcane production in marketing year 2022/23.

Australia’s sugar production is forecast to increase to 4.45 million metric tons (MMT) in marketing year (MY) 2022/23, from an estimated 4.12 MMT in MY 2021/22. This increase is due to an expected rise in sugar cane crush to 32 MMT in MY 2022/23, from an estimate of 30.1 MMT in the previous year.

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong again in marketing year (MY) 2022/23, after big crops in MY 2021/22. Canola production is forecast in MY 2022/23 at 4.7 million metric tons (MMT), down from the record-busting crop estimated at 6.35 MMT in MY 2021/22, but if realized would still be the second largest crop in history.

FAS/Managua expects 2022 peanut and oil production to remain flat from the previous year, with the vast majority of peanuts and virtually all peanut oil exported overseas.