Browse Data and Analysis

Ghana is in economic recovery mode following the double hits of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak of 2020 and the macroeconomic crisis of 2022. The Ghanaian hotel-restaurant-institutional (HRI) sector is evidencing a promising upward trajectory.

On November 5, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare published a marketing year 2024/25 production forecast at the lowest level in five years, at 23.4 million 480 lb. bales on an area of 11.4 million hectares.

Post forecasts production for marketing year (MY) 2024/25 at 0.89 million 480-lb bales, a similar level as in MY 2023/24. The planting area is expected to decrease due to farmers switching to more profitable crops, drought conditions, and limited access to water from dams.

MY2024/25 cotton area harvested for Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso is estimated to decrease 17 percent to 981,000 HA. This is mainly due to decreased planted area resulting from a late rainy season in all three countries, as well as civil conflict in Burkina Faso.

The cotton production forecast for 2024/25 has been revised downward to 5.2 million bales, with the area unchanged at 2 million hectares.

Import permits for genetically engineered (GE) corn from the United States are once again issued by South Africa. After a mid-summer drought that caused a 22 percent drop in production, South Africa needs to import corn to supplement domestic production.

India’s 2025 beef production (mostly carabeef) is forecast to reach 4.64 million metric tons (MMT), up from 4.57 MMT in 2024, on steady domestic and increased export demand.

On July 26, 2016, Côte d’Ivoire enacted its national Biosafety Law No. 2016-553. This law establishes the groundwork for managing genetically engineered (GE) products.

This is a regional report on West Africa that primarily covers Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Mali, but also provides brief overviews in certain sections for Niger, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania.

Post received confirmation on United States genetically engineered (GE) soybean eligibility to enter South Africa. After a mid-summer drought, South Africa needs corn and soybean imports to complement local production. South Africa allows for the importation of synchronized GE event approvals from an exporting country.

Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies remain unchanged. Over the past year, there has been no progress in the approval of its draft Biosafety Act, which establishes a system to protect biodiversity, the environment and human, plant and animal health while minimizing the risks of biotechnology.

In terms of total volume, Mexico´s marketing year (MY) 2024/25 total deciduous fruit production is forecast nearly unchanged, with a small decline in pear production mostly offset by minor growth in apple and table grape production.