Browse Data and Analysis

This report is an annual update on the food imports certificates in Jordan. For assistance on trade policy and port issues in Jordan, U.S. exporters are encouraged to contact FAS Amman at AgAmman@usda.gov.

This report is an annual update on the food import standards and enforcement mechanisms in Jordan. For assistance on trade policy and port issues in Jordan, U.S. exporters are encouraged to contact FAS Amman at AgAmman@usda.gov.

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.

On March 8, 2020, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s cabinet of ministers approved the regulation, “Instructions for Handling Food and Food Products Originating from Genetically Modified Substances Produced by Modern Biotechnology for 2018,” which was published in Jordan’s Official Gazette on April 3, 2020.

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).

Jordan continues to rely heavily on imports for essential staples such as wheat, barley, corn, and rice due to limited domestic production and scarce water resources.

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.

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.

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.

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.