Browse Data and Analysis

The planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops is currently not authorized and there is no biosafety legal framework in place in Egypt. The absence of a biosafety framework contributes directly to a lack of public awareness, funding, and trust in agricultural biotechnology.

The Venezuelan private sector supports biotechnology use and application. Nevertheless, the Venezuelan authority maintains a ban on the domestic use and research of modern biotechnology-derived agriculture.

Egyptian table grape production is forecast to increase to 1.59 million metric tons (MMT) in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 (October 2024 through September 2025).

FAS estimates Venezuela corn production at 1.36 million metric tons for the new market year (MY) 2024/2025 on a planted area of 350,000 hectares. Significant economic uncertainty persists following the July 28, 2024, presidential election, and higher inflation and a scarcity of U.S. dollars will likely inhibit increased corn acreage and limit yields.

On September 19, 2024, the Government of Egypt filed an eighth addendum to the World Trade Organization's (WTO’s) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) -- G/TBT/N/EGY/313/Add.8 -- informing interested parties that the time period during which imported milk and dairy products that are not accompanied by a Halal certificate will be permitted to enter Egypt has been extended until December 31, 2025.

Since 2014, Venezuela’s total meat consumption has declined 57 percent due to prolonged economic downfall. Nevertheless, since 2019, an improved economic environment has led to stabilized beef production and significant growth in the poultry sector. In 2024, total per capita meat consumption is forecast to be 32.4 kilograms, growing 83 percent from its 2018 record low.

Against the backdrop of a series of global shocks, regional conflict, and the war in Ukraine, the Egyptian economy slowed down in 2024 and is projected to recover gradually in the coming years.

Egypt’s wheat imports for marketing year (MY) 2024/25 (July – June) are estimated at 12.5 million metric tons (MMT), up by 11.4 percent from Post’s earlier estimate, due to an increase in the availability of foreign currency to facilitate imports.

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in Egypt.

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.

This report is an annual update on the food import standards and enforcement mechanisms in Egypt. It includes updates on importer registration procedures, halal certification requirements, and shelf-life validity periods, among other standards and regulations.