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On August 1, 2024, the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality notified the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) of a draft amendment to Egypt’s shelf life for certain food products (see G/TBT/N/EGY/212/Add.8).

Egypt’s sugar production in marketing year 2024/25 (October to September) is forecast to reach 2.6 million metric tons, down 110,000 tons from USDA official MY2023/24 production estimates on lower cane sugar production.

In 2023, Morocco was the second-largest export market for U.S. agriculture on the African continent, importing over $610 million in U.S. agricultural products, accounting for over 16 percent of all U.S. exports to Africa. The United States has seen total exports quadruple and agricultural exports double since entering into a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Morocco in 2006.

This report lists and describes certificates and other documentation required by the Government of Israel for U.S. exporters exporting food and agricultural products to Israel.

In 2022, the Egyptian government announced that feed costs increased by 40 to 45 percent. Beef prices also increased by 15 to 20 percent, discouraging per capita consumption. Prices are expected to continue increasing in response to the ongoing devaluation of the Egyptian pound and complex import procedures. Imports of Indian water buffalo increased to reach 150 thousand MT, while Brazilian beef imports are still limited.

The Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) report provides an overview of the food laws and regulatory environment in Algeria as it relates to food and agricultural exports. This report is intended to be used in conjunction with the 2022 FAIRS Export Certificate Report for Algeria. Noted updates in 2022 include: Import Procedures (Section IX).

Algeria does not develop, commercialize or import genetically engineered products. The Ministry of Agriculture’s decree of December 24, 2020, prevents agricultural genetically engineered product development, commercialization as well as import into Algeria.

This report provides information on export certificates required by the Government of Algeria.

Egypt requires a biosafety legal framework. Without one, the country cannot move forward in the area of agricultural biotechnology. The absence of a legal framework impedes field trials, as well as the commercial use of genetically engineered (GE) crops.

As of September 2022, Israel does not have a policy restricting the use of imported genetically engineered (GE) commodities or derivative products. There are no changes in Israel’s policy towards plant, animal biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology compared to 2021.

Tunisia postponed non-urgent issues throughout 2023 as major political reforms, including a freeze on parliament and a constitutional referendum took precedent. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

Morocco continues to import agricultural products derived from genetically engineered (GE) technologies for use in animal feed products. No GE products have been developed or commercialized for local production in Morocco. GE products are not allowed for human consumption.