Browse Data and Analysis

On March 15, 2022, ATO Hong Kong gave a virtual lecture on U.S. foods and agriculture at Polytechnic University. The lecture reached around 80 students from different majors as part of the University’s course “Evolution of World Cuisine.” Organized by ATO, this platform also allowed U.S. Wheat Associates, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Raisin Administrative Committee to participate and introduce their products.

The purpose of this report is to provide U.S. agricultural trade associations with information on compliance with the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Administration of Activities of Overseas Nongovernmental Organizations in the Mainland of China” (FNGO Law).

The combination of COVID disruptions and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks led to a 1.8 percent decline in EU (European Union) chicken meat production in Calendar Year (CY) 2021. Despite ongoing HPAI outbreaks, easing COVID restrictions will likely result in a 0.2 percent increase in EU chicken meat production in CY 2022.

Guatemala is one of the top food processing countries in Central America; meats and bakery and dairy products continue to lead the domestic food processing sector. U.S. suppliers have good opportunities to export bulk, intermediate, and consumer-oriented products that can be used as ingredients for further processing.

France has no commercial production or field trials of genetically engineered (GE) crops. The French livestock industry depends on imported GE products for feed, especially soybean, rapeseed, and corn.

Social media has become an indispensable tool for marketing food and beverages in Thailand. Effective social media marketing is the key for growth in any food and beverage business; however, the social media landscape is changing continuously as new platforms and features emerge.

Post forecasts marketing year (MY)2022/23 rice and corn production 2 percent higher than MY2021/22 figures, benefiting from sufficient water supplies and attractive farm-gate prices.

The Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) projects domestic wheat production at 700,000 metric tons (MT) in MY 2021/2022, up approximately 17 percent from USDA’s official estimate of 600,000 MT. Experts anticipate local domestic wheat production could reach 1 million metric tons (MMT) in MY 2022/2023 to offset expected import delays from Russia and Ukraine as a result of the ongoing war.

Egypt is closely following the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. Certainly Egypt’s grains imports from both countries were affected. Accordingly, FAS Cairo forecasts Egypt’s wheat imports in MY 2022/23 (July – June) at 11 MMT, down by 8.3 percent from MY 2021/22 Post’s import estimate figure of 12 MMT.

In marketing year (MY) 2022/23, Colombia's corn and rice production are forecast to marginally decrease from the previous year as a result of lower crop productivity due to rising prices of fertilizers and potential supply disruption of these inputs.

Rice export prices remain unchanged despite a further weakening of the Thai baht.

Post forecasts smaller Burmese rice exports in March due to a smaller supply; however, Burmese rice exports will remain strong due to high world prices and anticipated strong demand from African and EU countries, China, and the Philippines.