Browse Data and Analysis

The South African Department of Agriculture is in the process of finalizing requirements related to “control management systems,” which may include additional requirements of documentation to support label claims for imported food products.

On May 14, 2024, China notified the Phytosanitary Requirements for Imported Organic Growing Media to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1300. China’s SPS Enquiry Point at sps@customs.gov.cn will accept comments until July 13, 2024.

Trade in organic products between the United States and Mexico is flourishing, reaching record highs in 2023. The top five organic exports from the United States to Mexico in 2023 were apples, pears, grapes, spinach, and lettuce.

EU organic sales decreased slightly in 2022, but rebounded in 2023 due to recovering economic conditions.

In 2022, Austrian organic sales reached $2.94 billion, a new high, and remain at a high level in 2023. Despite a difficult market environment with high inflation and a significantly increased cost of living, organic sales increased by over five percent compared to 2021.

Bulgaria is a small but growing market for U.S. food and agricultural products. In 2021, total Bulgarian food and agricultural imports were valued at $6.13 billion, up 18 percent from 2020, of which 1.3 percent, or $80.13 million, were sourced from the United States. During the first eight months of 2022, total food and agricultural imports increased by 45.3 percent compared to the same period in 2021.

Blueberry area planted went from around 7,000 hectares (ha) in marketing year (MY) 2010/11 to over 18,000 ha in MY 2021/22. The United States is the top market for Chilean fresh and frozen blueberries, receiving more than half of the Chilean export volume.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) recently amended the existing Administrative Measures for Organic Product Certification which was enforced on April 1, 2014.

Canada is the United States’ largest export market for pet food, specifically dog and cat food, and the third-largest export destination for all U.S. agricultural products. Canada is also the largest U.S. export market for high-value consumer-oriented products due to proximity, refined transportation logistics, a free trade agreement, and a science-based regulatory environment.

The Government of Bulgaria (GOB) continues to oppose agricultural biotechnology and supports anti-biotech policy initiatives within the European Commission (EC). Non-governmental anti-biotech organizations, local activists, and Bulgaria’s organics industry actively spread nonscientific disinformation about biotechnology.

Mexico has 1.2 million hectares of certified organic land in use. Eighty-six percent of all organic products are collected and harvested from natural habitats. In 2021, there were 48,641 certified organic producers in Mexico. The honey and coffee sectors have the most certified organic producers, while the avocado and berry industries produce the most in terms of value. Mexico represents an export market opportunity for U.S organic products, especially for younger and more affluent demographic groups.

This report provides an overview of EU food and feed legislation currently in force for the EU. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) staff reviewed and updated all sections of this annual report.