News from April 2023


Grain: World Markets and Trade

This monthly report includes data on U.S. and global trade, production, consumption and stocks, as well as analysis of developments affecting world trade in grains.


Burma: Grain and Feed Annual

FAS Rangoon (Post) forecasts Burma’s rice exports, corn exports, and wheat import smaller in MY 2023/24.


Weekly Export Sales

This weekly report is a summary of U.S. export sales activity for barley, beef, cattle hides and skins, cattle wet blues, corn, cotton (by type), cottonseed, cottonseed cake and meal, cottonseed oil, flaxseed, grain sorghum, linseed oil, oats, pork, rice, rye, soybeans, soybean cake and meal, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, wheat (by class), and wheat products.


Japan: USJTA enters Year 5 of Agreement

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) will enter Year 5 of agreement implementation on April 1, 2023, eliminating tariffs on multiple products with staging categories where tariffs were reduced in four annual increments beginning on April 1 of Year 2 (April 1, 2020).


Italy: Italian Processed Tomato Overview 2023

According to the latest data released by the National Association of the Canned Vegetables Industry (Anicav), Italy is the third largest processed tomato producer in the world (behind the United States and China), representing approximately 14.8 percent of the global production and 56.5 percent of Europe’s production, with revenue of nearly $5.4 billion in 2022.


Japan: Oilseeds and Products Annual

In MY 2021/22, the total value of Japan’s soybean imports reached a historical record while rapeseed crush hit the lowest point in 10 years as rapeseed imports from Canada declined. Japanese crushers increased the use of Australian canola seeds to partially offset the short Canadian crop.


China: Blueberry Annual Voluntary 2023

In 2021, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) surpassed the United States as the world’s largest blueberry producer.


Costa Rica: Sugar Annual

FAS/San José projects Costa Rican sugar production to rebound to 400,000 metric tons in marketing year 2023/24, climbing nearly 10 percent higher from marketing year 2022/23, on drier conditions associated with the anticipated return of an El Niño weather system.


Pakistan: Sugar Annual

Sugar production in 2023/24 is forecast at 7.05 million tons, three percent above the 2022/23 estimate.


Australia: Oilseeds and Products Annual

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong again in marketing year (MY) 2023/24, but down from the record in MY 2022/23.


Sri Lanka: Grain and Feed Annual

FAS Colombo (Post) forecast’s Sri Lanka’s market year (MY) 2023/2024 (October-September) rice production (milled) at 3.16 million metric tons (MMT), with a planted area of 1 million hectares.


South Korea: Grain and Feed Annual

FAS/Seoul forecasts marketing year (MY) 2023/24 corn imports to remain flat, with U.S. market share gradually recovering towards the end of the year.


Jordan: Grain and Feed Annual

FAS Amman (Post) forecasts Jordan’s wheat imports in MY 2023/24 to reach 1.25 million MT.


China: National Food Safety Standard of Food Additive Lutein Notified to WTO

On March 6, 2023, China notified an updated National Food Safety Standard of Food Additive Lutein to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1266.


Argentina: Oilseeds and Products Annual

Post lowers its 2022/2023 estimate for Argentine soybean production to 23.9 million metric tons (MMT).


China: MARA Publishes Information to Improve Public Awareness of Essentially Derived Varieties

On April 10, 2023, the Development Center of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) published information designed to improve public understanding of the Essentially Derived Variety (EDV) system.


Turkey: Meat and Milk Situation in Turkiye

In the past year, meat and milk prices have skyrocketed due to a variety of factors, among which are insufficient cattle inventories, high input costs, semi-effective government policies, and limitations on importing meat and live animals.


China: Animal Husbandry Law 2022 Revision

On October 30, 2022, the People's Republic of China (PRC) National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee issued the revised Animal Husbandry Law of the PRC.


Haiti: Grain and Feed Annual

Wheat consumption in Haiti in marketing year (MY) 2023/24 (July 2023/June 2024) is forecast at 405,000 metric tons (MT), stable compared to the previous marketing period.


Guatemala: Sugar Annual

In marketing year (MY)2023/2024, Guatemala is forecast to produce 2.6 million metric tons of sugar from sugarcane from a harvested area of 251,000 hectares.