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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 packaged food importers do not import biotech foods due to concerns that biotech labeling could jeopardize their image.

Total Saudi wheat imports for 2024/25 are forecast to reach 4.25 MMT, an increase of 2 percent over marketing year (MY) 2023/24.

In 2023, French food and agricultural imports from the United States reached $1 billion. While exporting to France can be challenging, there are many opportunities for U.S. suppliers.

The major export certificates required by Saudi Arabia’s regulatory and import control agencies are included in this Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) - Certificates Report. These certificates are required for the importation of food and agricultural products into the Kingdom. Information in this report supplements the FAIRS Annual Country Report.

Saudi Arabia has published numerous regulations and standards over the years. While many of these regulations (both mandatory and voluntary) were notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO), most were immediately implemented making it difficult for U.S. exporters to adjust or comment.

Saudi Arabia is a major market ($1.55 billion) for U.S. food and agricultural products, and there are plenty of opportunities to export a wide range of new-to-market U.S. food products.

Zambia’s production of its staple crop, corn, is expected to drop by more than 50 percent in marketing year 2024/25, due to extended dry spells associated with the El Niño event. Almost a million hectares of corn have been destroyed by the drought that forced the Zambian President to declare a “National Disaster and Emergency”.

The French food processing industry mobilizes more than 19,000 companies, of which nearly 98 percent are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The sector generates $230 billion in annual revenue, and it indirectly contributes to nearly 2 million jobs in France.

With the development of several billion-dollar projects and nearly 30 million visitors a year, the future for U.S. grain exports is bright. Post anticipates Saudi rice imports to increase approximately five percent over the next several years due to expansions in the food service sector.

While France has no commercial production or field trials of genetically engineered (GE) crops, the French livestock industry depends on imported GE feed, especially soybeans, rapeseed, and corn. The French scientific community and many farmers are...

In 2023, French food and agricultural imports from the United States reached $1 billion. While exporting to France can be challenging, there are many opportunities for U.S. suppliers.

As a member of the European Union, France implements EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products.