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In July 2024, USDA published the final notice allowing certain table grapes to be safely imported by the United States from parts of Chile. The new requirements will allow table grapes from areas of Chile where European grapevine moth is either absent or at a low prevalence and will also protect U.S. agriculture from Chilean false red mite.

On December 27, 2023, China issued Guidelines to Comprehensively Promote the Development of a “Beautiful China.” The guidelines propose several goals, tasks, and reforms for building a beautiful China between 2027 and 2035.

The Chilean dairy sector is crucial to the economy, producing milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and powdered milk. In marketing year (MY) 2024, milk receipts increased by two percent to 1,293 million liters, and fluid milk production rose by seven percent.

Post forecasts domestic raw milk production to grow marginally due to improved dairy milk yield despite declining cow inventories in 2025.

On October 11, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of new and renewed biosafety certificates for genetically engineered (GE) events.

On October 8, 2024, the People's Republic of China Food Safety Standards Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the National Health Commission (NHC) released a letter soliciting public comments on nineteen draft National Food Safety Standards.

On October 8, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the registration of 30 genetically engineered (GE) corn and soy varieties, including 27 GE corn varieties and three GE soybean varieties.

On September 13, 2024, China's National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) released Requirements for Application Materials for Safety Evaluation of Genetically Modified Microorganisms Used in Food Processing (Trial), which allows genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) derived products without residual of exogenous genes and GMMs to be used as new food raw materials and new varieties of food-related products in addition to food additives.

China continued to be the world’s largest food importing country in 2023, with total food imports valued at $140 billion. The United States was the 4th largest source of China’s imports of consumer-oriented agricultural products in 2023.

FAS China attended the annual China Pea Conference and Plant-Based Congress, which was held in Shanghai, July 2024.

FAS China forecasts commercial production of in-shell walnuts to rebound 11 percent to 1.5 MMT in MY 2024/25 supported by favorable growing conditions in major production areas. Improved world supplies and changing dietary concepts will likely drive nut imports to continue rising.

In 2023, the Chilean retail food industry witnessed a moderate recovery, with total sales reaching approximately $28.5 billion, a 2.3 percent increase over 2022. The Chilean retail sector is made up of large supermarkets, mid-sized grocery stores, convenience stores, and thousands of smaller independent mom-and-pop shops.