Browse Data and Analysis

Despite its small population at 7.5 million, Hong Kong is the sixth-largest export market for U.S. consumer-oriented agricultural products. Hong Kong has always been an attractive market for innovative U.S. food and beverage products as well as a gateway to the region.

Healthy eating is the growing trend in Hong Kong embraced by both the government and the general public. In this context, the Hong Kong government is encouraging the trade to use less salt and sugar for foods by introducing a voluntary “Salt/Sugar” label scheme for prepackaged food products.

In September 2021, the Hong Kong government decided not to launch a scheme requiring pre-market safety assessments for biotech events initially proposed in 2013. Hong Kong did not have any policy changes on regulating genetically engineered (GE)...

Spain is a powerhouse for agricultural biotechnology in the European Union, as the country remains the largest grower of biotech corn and a major consumer of feed ingredients.

Hong Kong is the ninth largest importer of baked goods in the world, with imports valued at $870 million. Major import categories included pastries, bread, and cakes. For the first ten months of 2021, Hong Kong imports of baked goods were $721 million, a modest increase of 1.61 percent over the same period in 2020.

This report is an update of GAIN report SP2020-0045. It outlines the legislation applicable to the export of U.S. food products to Spain, particularly focusing on those rules that differ from EU legislation.

Hong Kong traders complain about ongoing issues with global shipping logistics and resulting disruptions on supply chains.

In 2020, Spain imported $1.67 billion of agricultural, fish and forest products from the United States. Outside the European Union Member States, the United States was the second largest origin of Spanish agricultural and related imports after Brazil.

Effective November 12, 2021, ready-to-eat oysters harvested from Samish Bay in Washington State are once again eligible for export to Hong Kong following a ban imposed on July 2021.

Despite disruptions to the global supply chain and worldwide container shortage, the Hong Kong port maintains normal operations.

Hong Kong authorities reported a detection of COVID-19 virus on imported frozen cuttlefish from Malaysia. Detections were identified on the slice surface and its inner packaging during precautionary testing at the point of entry.

This report focuses on specific Spanish certification requirements that differ or are in addition to EU-harmonized certification.