Browse Data and Analysis

Despite its small population at 7.5 million, Hong Kong is the sixth-largest export market for U.S. consumer-oriented agricultural products. Hong Kong has always been an attractive market for innovative U.S. food and beverage products as well as a gateway to the region.

Healthy eating is the growing trend in Hong Kong embraced by both the government and the general public. In this context, the Hong Kong government is encouraging the trade to use less salt and sugar for foods by introducing a voluntary “Salt/Sugar” label scheme for prepackaged food products.

In September 2021, the Hong Kong government decided not to launch a scheme requiring pre-market safety assessments for biotech events initially proposed in 2013. Hong Kong did not have any policy changes on regulating genetically engineered (GE)...

Hong Kong is the ninth largest importer of baked goods in the world, with imports valued at $870 million. Major import categories included pastries, bread, and cakes. For the first ten months of 2021, Hong Kong imports of baked goods were $721 million, a modest increase of 1.61 percent over the same period in 2020.

Saudi regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients.

Hong Kong traders complain about ongoing issues with global shipping logistics and resulting disruptions on supply chains.

Effective November 12, 2021, ready-to-eat oysters harvested from Samish Bay in Washington State are once again eligible for export to Hong Kong following a ban imposed on July 2021.

Saudi Arabia is a 20th largest importer of U.S. food and agricultural products in the world, with direct U.S. exports of $1.23 billion in 2020. Return to semi-normal living conditions are invigorating U.S. agricultural exports to the Kingdom as supported by the U.S. Customs data for January – August 2021 that show 16 percent increase compared to the same period in 2020.

Despite disruptions to the global supply chain and worldwide container shortage, the Hong Kong port maintains normal operations.

Saudi Arabia’s barley imports for the first six months of MY2021/22 (July – Dec. 2021) is estimated at 2.8 million metric tons (MMT), a reduction of 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hong Kong authorities reported a detection of COVID-19 virus on imported frozen cuttlefish from Malaysia. Detections were identified on the slice surface and its inner packaging during precautionary testing at the point of entry.

Seeking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus through imported foods, the Hong Kong government has been testing chilled and frozen foods and their packaging.