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FAS India forecasts marketing year (MY) 2022/23 coffee production (Oct/Sep) at 6.25 million 60-kilogram bags, nine percent higher than the official USDA estimate on above normal southwest monsoon rains (Jun/Sep) expected to improve yields, especially for Robusta varieties in major growing regions.

On October 31, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published draft amendments [Notification F.No. STD/39-FA/Notification/2022 in the Gazette of India: Extraordinary (Official Gazette)] (Appendix I). The notification was subsequently published on the FSSAI website on November 3, 2022.

On October 31, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published draft amendments [Notification F.No. STD/39-FA/Notification/2022 in the Gazette of India: Extraordinary (Official Gazette)] (Appendix I). The notification was subsequently published on the FSSAI website on November 3, 2022.

On October 27, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published notification F.No. STD/FA/A-1.30/No.1/2020-FSSAI(P-I) in the Gazette of India: Extraordinary (Official Gazette). The notification was subsequently published on the FSSAI website on October 31, 2022.

India remains undecided on genetically engineered (GE) crops, despite its regulatory authorities clearing on the environmental release of GE eggplant and mustard events. Bt cotton (Bacillus thuringiensis) remains the sole crop derived from biotechnology (biotech) approved for commercial cultivation.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) 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. As a result, many retail packed food importers do not import biotech foods due to concerns that biotech labeling could jeopardize their product image. However, Saudi Arabia imports large quantities of biotech U.S. corn, soybeans, and their products.

India’s hospitality sector, which was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, has now recovered to pre-pandemic conditions and sales. The hotel, restaurant and institutional sector owes its rapid recovery to domestic travel and a return to in-person dining and catered events. By the end of 2022, a continued reduction in COVID-19 cases combined with improved consumer confidence for dining out, will drive demand for imported food products.

India’s domestic apple and pear production in market year (MY) (July-June) 2022/23 are estimated at 2.35 million metric tons (MMT) and 311,000 metric tons (MT), respectively. Favorable rainfall in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh has augmented yields and will lead to increased exports. Market year 2022/23 apple imports are estimated at 430,000 MT.

Saudi Arabia’s barley imports for the first six months of MY 2022/23 (July – Dec. 2022) are estimated at 2.6 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of six percent compared to the same period last year. Post’s current projection for total barley imports for MY 2022/23 is 4.5 MMT, which is a decrease of four percent compared to the USDA official estimate of 4.7 MMT. Unless the price of barley drastically decreases, Post anticipates demand will remain low throughout MY 2022/23.

On September 8, 2021, the Indian government raised its minimum support prices (MSP) for the select rabi (winter-planted) crops, including wheat. FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts marketing year (MY) 2022/2023 (October-September) rice production at 122 million metric tons (MMT), down six percent compared to last year, due to unseasonal rains in October resulting in water lodging as the rice crop nears harvest.

Saudi Arabia was a 24th largest market ($1.34 million) for U.S. food and agricultural products last year. A return to pre-Covid living and working conditions are invigorating U.S. agricultural exports to the Kingdom in 2022. U.S. Customs data for January – August 2022 shows an 11 percent increase in U.S. agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia compared to the same period in 2021.

On October 27, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a new order pertaining to FSSAI Order F. No. 1829/Health Certificate/ FSSAI/Imports (2021), which extends the effective compliance date. The new effective compliance date is now set for January 1, 2023 (the previous effective compliance date was November 1, 2022).