Browse Data and Analysis

On October 8, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the registration of 30 genetically engineered (GE) corn and soy varieties, including 27 GE corn varieties and three GE soybean varieties.

On September 13, 2024, China's National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) released Requirements for Application Materials for Safety Evaluation of Genetically Modified Microorganisms Used in Food Processing (Trial), which allows genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) derived products without residual of exogenous genes and GMMs to be used as new food raw materials and new varieties of food-related products in addition to food additives.

China continued to be the world’s largest food importing country in 2023, with total food imports valued at $140 billion. The United States was the 4th largest source of China’s imports of consumer-oriented agricultural products in 2023.

FAS China attended the annual China Pea Conference and Plant-Based Congress, which was held in Shanghai, July 2024.

FAS China forecasts commercial production of in-shell walnuts to rebound 11 percent to 1.5 MMT in MY 2024/25 supported by favorable growing conditions in major production areas. Improved world supplies and changing dietary concepts will likely drive nut imports to continue rising.

China’s MY 2024/25 sugar production is forecast at 11 MMT, up 600,000 MT as acreage for both cane and beet are up and competition crops are less profitable.

Feed demand in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 is expected to recover slightly, with a projected total volume of 286.5 million metric tons (MMT). Corn is expected to dominate feed composition due to low prices, replacing wheat and old stock rice.

The National Standard Soil Environment Quality Risk Control Standard for Soil Contamination of Agricultural Land (Trial Edition) (GB15618-2018) was published jointly by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on June 22, 2018 and it entered into force on August 1, 2018.

The National Standard for Irrigation Water Quality (GB5084-2021) was published jointly by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China on January 20, 2021 and it entered into force on July 1, 2021.

The Government of Morocco has released its final wheat and barley production numbers for the 2024 crop, including 1.77 MMT of common wheat, 0.70 MMT of durum wheat, and 0.65 MMT of barley, about 43 percent down from the previous year’s crop.

U.S. pet food exports to China have grown with the increasing number of registered facilities and approved import licenses. The largest share of Chinese pet owners lives in second-tier cities, with export opportunities for U.S. pet food brands that want to reach more of the Chinese market.

China removed quarantine access requirements for frozen fruit imports in August 2024. This allows frozen fruit imports from any country, according to the updated imported food catalogue by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).