Browse Data and Analysis

The legal and regulatory situation to allow the planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops in Ecuador remains the same as 2020. Commercial cultivation of GE crops is not permitted, however cultivation for research is allowed and an exception exists for GE products without recombinant or foreign DNA in the genome.

In order to move forward in the area of agriculture biotechnology, Egypt needs a biosafety legal framework. The absence of a legal framework inhibits field trials, as well as the commercial use of genetically engineered (GE) crops.

Post revises 2020/2021 production forecast down. Egypt experienced a difficult table grapes season due to unexpected weather conditions.

FAS Cairo (Post) forecasts Egypt’s wheat imports in marketing year (MY) 2021/22 (July – June) at 12.4 MMT, up from the previous marketing year estimate due to higher consumption driven by population growth.

The National Food Safety Authority continues to develop standards and procedures regulating food safety in Egypt. On June 2, 2021, the National Food Safety Authority Board of Directors approved mandatory technical regulations on the permissible residue levels of pesticides for food of plant and animal origin.

Egypt maintains herd size with slight increases at 10 million head. Egypt continues to put polices in place to increase the animal production, however, the government hasn’t met their target yet, mostly due to instable input costs.

On July 15, 2021, Egypt’s Minister of Trade and Industry (MTI) signed Decree No. 322/2021. The decree renewed an earlier decision that extended the shelf-life validity period for imported frozen fish from six to nine months and of frozen beef liver from seven to ten months.

FAS/Cairo revises its Egypt cotton forecast for market year 2021/22, accounting for a rise in area harvested and production.

Ecuador: Ecuadorian Government Lowers Tariffs for 43 Agricultural Products On July 9th, 2021, Ecuador’s Foreign Trade Committee issued Resolution No. 009 – 2021, lowering tariffs on 667 products, including 43 agricultural products. This resolution will come into effect on October 1st, 2021 and will be permanent.

The National Food Safety Authority continues to develop standards and procedures regulating food safety in Egypt.

For a decade, trade of beef and beef products to Egypt have been very disrupted.

On June 15th, Egypt postponed its launch of the Advanced Clearance Information system (ACI). The Minister of Finance pushed the 1st of July deadline of full implementation of the new system to October 1st, 2021 citing the delay had been requested by several companies and diplomatic missions.