Browse Data and Analysis

The Turkish cotton crop for Marketing Year (MY) 2021/22 is forecast at 450,000 hectares and 825,000 metric tons (MT; 3.79 million bales). Cotton consumption is expected to be 1,850,000 MT (8.50 million bales) for the same MY.

On November 17, 2021, the European Commission published a proposal for legislation aimed at preventing products causing deforestation or forest degradation from entering the EU market.

Hungary is one of the strongest opponents of agricultural biotechnology in the European Union. Maintaining the country’s GE-free status is still a government priority.

There are no significant changes to the agricultural biotechnology situation in the Czech Republic in 2021. The country generally maintains a scientific approach towards biotechnology.

Public rejection of genetically engineered (GE) plants in Germany is widespread. There is no commercial GE crop production and practically no foods labeled as containing “genetically modified organisms” (“GMO”) on the market.

Hungary regained its avian influenza free status on June 10, 2021, but the disease is now back in the country.

The steady growth of the tree nuts market in Bulgaria was interrupted in marketing year (MY) 2020/21 due to the pandemic and related economic challenges, such as the weaker tourist season and the closure of food service industry outlets during several lockdowns.

The United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on December 31, 2020, and the Covid pandemic have both presented challenges and opportunities for the dairy processing sector.

Croatia is a net food importer; government policy is geared primarily towards raising agricultural productivity and then controlling imports. Although Croatia has adopted the European Union’s (EU) biotech legislation, Croatia is a part of a group of EU member states that “opted-out” of planting genetically engineered (GE) seeds.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) allows permitted import of genetically engineered (GE) products based on the 2009 Law on “Genetically Modified Organisms” (“GMOs”) and its pertaining bylaws.

The Government of Bulgaria (GOB) continues to oppose agricultural biotechnology and supports anti-biotech policy initiatives within the European Commission (EC).

This report includes information on the plant, animal, and microbial biotechnology situation in Austria. Austria continues to be one of the leading forces in Europe opposed to the use of agricultural biotechnology.