Browse Data and Analysis

In a signed letter to the Veterinary Medical Officer of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), dated January 12, 2023, the Acting Chief Veterinary Officer of the Ghanaian Veterinary Services Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture acknowledged receipt of the FSIS’ proposed certificate of export for pork and pork products, and confirmed its acceptance.

Pakistan is the 25th largest export market for U.S. food and agricultural-related products, with U.S. exports surpassing $1.3 billion in 2021. The top U.S. exports to Pakistan were cotton, soybeans, pulses, tree nuts, dairy products, planting seeds, dairy cattle, and forestry products.

The report outlines regulatory requirements and import procedures for food and agricultural imports into Pakistan. As compared to the last report submitted in December 2021, this report contains additions to food laws and labelling requirement...

This report outlines Pakistan’s requirements for import permits and export certificates for various food products for human and animal consumption. It also provides a list of the Pakistani government agencies involved in the entry of imported food...

Based on total commitments to date (imports plus outstanding purchases), the 2022/23 import forecast is reduced from 3 to 2.6 million tons. With the impact of the summer’s floods proving to be even worse than initially anticipated, the 2022/23 rice production estimate is decreased to 6 million tons. As a result of the expectations for lower domestic supplies, 2022/23 rice exports are also lowered to 3.6 million tons.

Ghana has experienced a sudden economic downturn, a product of internal miscalculations and external shocks. Once ranked among the fastest growing economies in the world, Ghana has lost the steam that made it a shining example of a well-managed economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, and now finds itself in economic turmoil.

Due to uncertainty regarding policy on imported soybeans, the 2022/23 soybean import forecast is reduced from 2.5 to 2.2 million tons. Due to the lower expected soybean imports, 2022/23 crush and soybean meal output is reduced accordingly. Reflecting continued decline in consumer purchasing power due to record level inflation, the forecast for 2022/23 palm oil imports is also reduced.

While output is unchanged, the 2022/23 harvested area is reduced to reflect the abandoned fields in key production areas of Sindh due to last summer’s flooding. The import forecast is increased to reflect the need to supplement the decline in domestic availability.

The Bank of Ghana restricted access to foreign exchange for a select list of imported products, including rice, poultry, vegetable oils, and pasta, among other items, to implement a directive from the President of Ghana.

Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority has eventually given the green light for the environmental release and placement on the market of the pod borer resistant (PBR) or Bt. Cowpea.

In 2022, after a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) completed the draft, the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) reviewed a policy on regulating imports of genetically engineered (GE) commodities for food, feed, and processing (FFP). The NBC sent the draft FFP policy to relevant Ministries for further review. Cotton remains the only GE crop approved for cultivation.

Marketing year (MY) 2022/23 palm kernel production is forecast at 62,000 metric tons (MT), down by about nine percent compared to Post’s MY2021/22 projection. This is mainly because of an annual three-month drought period (December-February) that negatively affects FFB yield, and consequently kernel yield.