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In 2022, the French food processing sector encompasses approximately 17,300 companies ranging from small family-owned businesses to some of the world’s largest multinationals.

In marketing year (MY) 2023/24, Post forecasts wheat area harvested will reach 215,000 hectares (ha) and production will total 1.32 million metric tons (MMT), unchanged from MY 2022/23 as production was limited by the high costs of inputs.

The wine production area in Chile spans from the Atacama to Araucania region, with vineyards scattered up and down the regions’ valleys. Chilean area planted for wine totaled 130,086 hectares in 2021.

In February, wildfires ravaged central Chile throughout the the Maule, Biobio, Ñuble, and Araucania regions. The fires expanded quickly due to high temperatures and windy conditions, causing loss of lives, destruction of homes, and damage to basic infrastructure.

In 2021, the Chilean economy grew by 11.7 percent. Government support programs increased disposable income for many consumers, putting upward pressure on consumption of beef, pork, and chicken.

After a nearly six percent decrease in GDP in 2020, the Chilean economy grew by 11.7 percent in 2021 and by 2.4 percent in 2022. In 2023, the Chilean Central Bank projects a contraction in GDP that will range between 0.75 and 1.75 percent.

During Covid-19, the French government designated the retail sector as essential. Retail companies were authorized to continue operations. The nationwide lockdown and the closing of restaurants gave a significant boost to the retail sector.

With 91 million visitors in 2019, France is one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. Tourism accounted for 7.5 percent of GDP, providing employment to 1.5 million people. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the flow of visitors by almost 55 percent, triggering a loss of nearly 160,000 jobs. The Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional (HRI) sector saw a decrease in total sales revenue to $64 billion, a 30 percent decline from the previous year.

As a member of the European Union, France implements EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products. The US export certification requirements for most products are harmonized at the EU level; however, a few products, which are not yet harmonized across the EU, are still subject to French national regulations.

France, as a member of the European Union (EU), generally follows EU directives, regulations, and obligations. This report focuses on food laws in force in France that cover areas which are not EU harmonized. EU regulations are explained in the Food...

The French livestock industry depends on imported genetically engineered (GE) feed, especially soybean, rapeseed, and corn. However, France has no commercial production or field trials of GE crops. While most French scientists and farmers are generally supportive of biotechnology, consumer attitudes toward GE are primarily negative.

On January 24, 2022 the French State Council provisionally overruled the December 2021 ministerial order banning the sale of raw CBD hemp flowers and leaves. The court noted that the flowers and leaves of cannabis sativa L. with a THC content of less than 0.3 percent were “devoid of narcotic properties” and could therefore be marketed in France.