Browse Data and Analysis

FAS Mumbai estimates marketing year (MY) 2023/24 India cotton production at 26 million 480 lb. bales on 12.7 million hectares planted, a decrease from the previous year on the expectation that farmers will shift cotton acreage to higher return crops such as oilseeds and pulses.

On June 14, 2023, India’s Ministry of Finance issued Public Notice No. 39/2023 - Customs that reduces the import duty on refined sunflower and soybean oils.

India’s food retail sector will continue its upward trajectory following a decade of market evolution and sustained growth. The increased purchasing power of Indian households, growing awareness and access to gourmet products, and consumer awareness toward international cuisines and food products have acted as primary growth catalysts in the sector.

On June 8, 2023, the Government of India’s (GOI) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) invited World Trade Organization (WTO) members to provide comments on draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Regulations 2023.

India’s average ethanol blending rate with petroleum for calendar year 2023 is estimated at 11.5 percent. The National Biofuels Policy of India, amended in May 2022, strengthens efforts to increase domestic ethanol output from sugarcane and multi-feed stocks by expediting pace toward blending goals.

Zimbabwe’s corn crop for marketing year 2023/24 is estimated at 1.5 million metric tons. This represents an increase of five percent from the previous marketing year’s crop, mainly due to a normal rainfall season in the northern parts of the country.

On June 7, 2022, the Indian government announced the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all kharif (summer sown, autumn harvested) crops for Indian crop year (ICY) 2023/2024.

On May 22, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified on its website Direction REG-11027/3/2022-Regulation-FSSAI. The FSSAI direction informs that the draft Food Safety and Standards (Food for Infant Nutrition) Regulations (2022) are being re-operationalized.

On April 27, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified on its website the Direction SS-T007/1/2023-Standard-FSSAI.

On May 8, 2023, the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) published Notification No. 5/2023, Amendment in Import Policy Conditions of Apples under the Indian Trade Classification (ITC) Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HS) Code 0808.1000 of Chapter-08 of the ITC (HS), 2022, Schedule-I (Import Policy).

FAS Mumbai (Post) forecasts marketing year (MY) 2023/2024 coffee production (October-September) at 5.8 million 60-kilogram bags.

Post forecasts Zimbabwe’s sugar cane production will increase by 1 percent to 3.5 million metric tons (MT) in marketing year (MY) 2023/24 based on a return to normal weather conditions, the availability of sufficient irrigation water, and an increase in planted area.