Browse Data and Analysis

U.S. agricultural exporters of consumer-oriented products are well-positioned to increase sales to Guatemala. In 2023, U.S. consumer-oriented export values reached a third-consecutive record on 15 percent growth from the previous year (Figure 3).

The Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Food (MAGA) regulates Guatemala's genetically engineered (GE) plants and animals.

Poland opposes the use of genetic engineering in agriculture. Although the current regulatory framework technically allows genetically engineered (GE) seeds to enter commerce, the law stipulates they cannot be planted.

Access to the benefits of modern agricultural biotechnology in the Caribbean Basin remains stifled by the unfinished work of implementing a science-based, risk-management approach to regulate its use.

According to USCB, U.S. suppliers shipped $376 million of U.S. food and agriculture to Poland in 2023. However, according to Poland’s Central Statistical Office (CSO), which measures trade by country of origin and, therefore, reflects both direct and indirect trade, Poland sourced upwards of $740 million of U.S. food and agriculture in 2023.

The Parliament of Poland extended until January 1, 2030, exemptions of provisions under the 2006 Feed Act to ban the use of genetically engineered (GE) feed ingredients. Poland is a major import of soybean meal, including GE meal, with imports reaching $1.5 billion each year.

This report contains the list of all the mandatory export certificates required by the Government of Guatemala for agricultural imports.

In the Caribbean region, sales value in the retail grocery sector increased by 3 percent in 2023. This is due in part to the rise in tourism in many markets, which is boosting economic growth. The largest grocery retail markets are Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, and the Bahamas.

Guatemala adopted the Central American Regional Technical Regulation RTCA 67.01.31:20, which updates the food product registration process. The regulation entered into effect on August 5, 2024, superseding previous regulation RTCA 67.031:07.

In 2023, the Guatemalan market showed significant potential for growth, with supermarkets, hypermarkets, and independent food stores expanding their locations.

Guatemala ranked as the #16 largest U.S. agricultural export market despite a nine percent decline, mainly due to lower imports of bulk commodities in 2023, reaching $1.6 million. It's crucial to remember that Guatemala, relying on foreign exchange by international trade, remittances, and tourism, is the largest economy in Central America, with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) of $102.8 billion, a 19-million-person market, and relative economic stability.

As tourists flock back to the Caribbean in larger numbers and island economies regain their footing after being challenged by global inflation, competition, and other headwinds, opportunities for U.S. suppliers are slowly emerging. While hurdles remain present on the horizon, U.S. suppliers are finding resilient Caribbean buyers to be excellent partners on the road to commercial success.