News from 2023


Thailand: Rice Price - Weekly

Export prices of Thai rice dropped 1-2 percent due to the weakening of the Thai baht and limited trading during the Thai New Year’s holiday.


South Africa: Competition Commission Report Examines Poultry

The March 2023 Essential Food Price Monitoring Report published by South Africa’s Competition Commission provided a deep dive into the poultry value chain.


Turkey: Sugar Annual

The area planted in sugar beets in MY 2023/24 is forecast marginally higher as some farmers will likely switch to growing beets in hopes of better returns.


Colombia: SaborUSA Promotes US Popcorn in Colombia

This report summarizes the activities and outcomes of FAS Bogota's SaborUSA digital marketing initiative (July 2021 – June 2022) and its focus on promoting U.S. popcorn in Colombia.


Colombia: Sugar Annual

In marketing year (MY) 2023/24, Colombia’s sugar production is forecast to increase 2.2 percent to 2.35 million metric tons (MT), due to the end of "La Niña" weather phenomena and the beginning of "El Niño" weather phenomena.


Ecuador: Sugar Annual

Ecuador's sugar production in marketing year (MY) 2023/24 is forecast to remain at 530,000 MT, the same as the previous year's estimate, despite a significant increase in planted area of sugar cane.


China: Draft Implementation Opinions for Crop Seed Certification

On April 12, 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) jointly published a draft “Implementation Opinions of SAMR and MARA on Carrying Out Crop Seed Certification" for comment.


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.


China: Plant Variety Protection Office Clarifies Sexual Propagation Material Submission Requirements

On April 10, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) Plant Variety Protection Office published a notice “Further Clarifying the Submission Requirements for Sexual Propagation Materials,” related to plant variety rights.


China: Cotton Subsidy Policy Updated

On April 14, 2023, the National Development Reform Commission (NDRC) published Announcement No. 369 on Implementation Measures for Improving the Target Price Policy for Cotton.


China: Decree 248 Product List Update - April 2023

The General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) recently updated the list of products subject to Decree 248 and has not notified these changes to trade partners.


Mexico: Oilseeds and Products Annual

FAS/Mexico expects slower growth in the vegetable oil and oil meal sectors in marketing year (MY) 2023/24 compared to recent years, given potential declines in consumer purchasing power, a forecast slowdown in Mexico’s economy, and persistent inflation.


Ukraine: Despite Significant Ag Production Ukraine Ag Industry Struggled in 2022

By early April 2023, many Ukrainian official agencies and private companies published their end-of-the-year results.


Egypt: Oilseeds and Products Annual

Egyptian traders and crushers continue to demand sustainability and quality of supply, both of which are key features of U.S.-origin soybean.


Egypt: Cotton and Products Annual

Like many countries in the world, Egypt has been greatly affected by the Russian war on Ukraine, which has caused strain on the Egyptian economy.


Egypt: Egypt Halal Certification Uncertainties Remain for Dairy Products

The government of Egypt has yet to publish or notify an official statement regarding the application of halal certification on dairy past the April 1 deadline.


Egypt: Sugar Annual

The industrial demand for sugar beets continues to rise, as it provides a higher price, thus incentivizing many farmers to plant more beets.


Mexico: Sugar Annual

Mexico’s sugar production is forecast at 6.25 million metric tons raw value (MMT-RV) in marketing year 2023/24 (October-September), an increase of nearly 3 percent compared to MY 2022/23 based on lower fertilizer costs and a return to average weather conditions.


Peru: Sugar Annual

Sugar cane production in MY 2024 (January-December 2023) is forecast at 9.9 MMT, increasing nearly three percent from the MY 2023 estimate.


USDA Proposes Declaring Salmonella an Adulterant in Breaded Stuffed Raw Chicken Products

News Release: WASHINGTON, April 25, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released today a proposed determination to declare Salmonella an adulterant in breaded stuffed raw chicken products when they exceed a very low level of Salmonella contamination. This announcement is a significant first step that builds on FSIS’ proposed regulatory framework to reduce Salmonella infections linked to poultry products, released in October 2022.