Browse Data and Analysis

The Philippines has been a pioneer within Asia in adopting biotechnology crops. On April 17, 2024, the Court of Appeals (CA) ruling on the Writ of Kalikasan revoked the biosafety permit for commercial propagation of golden rice and directed the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) to cease and desist from commercially propagating and conducting activities relating to Bt eggplant.

Grape production in Peru is forecast to reach 790,000 metric tons (MT) in marketing year (MY) 2024/2025, an increase of two percent compared to the previous year. The expected increase is due to improved climatic conditions in northern coastal regions which represents 48 percent of the total production area.

The Government of Bulgaria (GOB) continues to oppose agricultural biotechnology. Non-governmental anti-biotech organizations, local activists, and Bulgaria’s organics industry actively spread nonscientific disinformation about biotechnology. Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s poultry, dairy, and livestock stakeholders continue to import biotech-derived feed ingredients.

Since 2011, Peru has continued its moratorium on biotechnology due to concern on its impact to the environment. The scientific community, however pledges to adopt it . In January 2021, Peru extended the previous ten-year biotechnology moratorium for another fifteen years.

The food retail sector in Peru is anticipated to experience 5 percent growth by the conclusion of 2024, attributed to the overall enhancement in the country's economic landscape and targeted strategies devised by both the modern and traditional food channels.

FAS/Sofia has revised further downward its estimate for Bulgaria’s MY 2024/25 corn crop to 1.7 million metric tons (MMT) based on the latest harvest data and which, if confirmed, will be the smallest crop since 2012. This is due to the severe summer heat and drought.

On October 4, 2024, the Philippine Department of Agriculture amended Department Order No. 16 (2024), removing mechanically deboned or separated meat of chicken (HS Code 0207.14.91) from the list of agricultural products subjected to a price-based special safeguard (SSG) measure. T

Post forecasts demand for dairy products to increase 2 percent to 3 million metric tons (MMT) in liquid milk equivalent (LME) in 2025.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which classifies agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and engaging in a cartel as economic sabotage.

Starting October 1, 2024, the Philippines moved to a B3 or 3 percent coco-methyl ester (CME) biodiesel mandate, from 2 percent previously. The blend will gradually increase to 4 percent in October 2025, and to 5 percent in October 2026.

The Philippine Department of Agriculture issued Department Order No. 16 (2024) on October 1, 2024, requesting the Bureau of Customs to continue imposing price-based special safeguard (SSG) measure on thirteen (13) agricultural tariff lines and impose price-based SSG on four (4) additional agricultural products.

FAS Manila forecasts raw sugar production at 1.85 million metric tons (MT) for marketing year (MY) 2025, higher than the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) forecast of 1.78 million MT, due to an expansion in area planted and improvements in weather conditions from the previous El Niño, which is expected to provide better production in MY 2025.