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FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts marketing year (MY) 2022/23 (August-July) Indian almond imports (shelled-basis) at 148,000 metric tons (MT) a slight decrease from MY 2021/22, as food inflation volatility, rupee depreciation, and global shipping challenges are likely to persist in the near term, impacting price.

This GAIN-INDIA report corrects the India Cotton Production, Supply and Distribution (PSD) table in GAIN-INDIA | IN2022-0076 | Cotton and Products Update – First Update 2022/2023. While the text of the report correctly states the forecasts, the PSD table erroneously lists the years as 2019/2020, 2020/2021, and 2021/2022.

FAS Mumbai (Post) forecasts marketing year (MY) 2022/23 cotton production at 27.7 million 480 lb. bales on an area of 12.8 million hectares. The current sowing progress indicates that farmers are preferring to plant higher cotton area due to prevailing high market prices. Indian yields are expected to improve by three percent due to above normal rains in major cotton growing regions.

India’s national cattle herd inventory in marketing year (MY) 2023 (January-December) is forecast marginally higher at 307.4 million head. India’s MY 2023 production of carabeef (meat derived from the Asian domestic water buffalo) and beef is forecast at 4.42 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of two percent from the current year’s estimate on continued restrictive policies on slaughter of bovine animals.

India’s soybean production estimate for marketing year (MY) 2022/23 (October-September) is slightly lowered to 11.4 million metric tons (MMT) because of the impacts of the delayed and erratic 2022 monsoon. Cumulative edible oil imports in the October 2021 to June 2022 period have increased one percent to 10.l MMT, and crude palm oil remains the primary consumed oil.

On August 18, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued clarification (No. TIC-20012/2/2021-IMPORTS-FSSAI) that its requirement for AGMARK (an Indian certification mark), prior to import of blended edible vegetable oils (BEVO), is kept in abeyance (suspended) until further notice.

On August 16, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued Clarification No. 1831/Misc./FSSAI/Imports/2022 pertaining to microbial testing requirements for imported food products.

On March 22, 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) modified its food safety and standards related to Shea butter and Borneo tallow nut oil (or Sal nut oil).

On April 13, 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified provisions for licensing and registration of fortified food products in its Food Safety and Compliance System (FOSCOS).

On April 9, 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published a draft guidance document – Standard Operating Procedures to Fix Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for Pesticides.

On April 16, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted a normal 2021 Southwest Monsoon, suggesting that June to September rainfall will likely be 98 percent of the Long Period Average (LPA) of 88 cm.

Assuming normal rainfall and favorable weather conditions, India’s centrifugal sugar production in marketing year (MY) 2021/22 (October-September) is forecast to grow three percent to 34.7 million metric tons (MMT) (equivalent to 31.8 MMT of crystal white sugar) on a sugarcane production forecast of 389 MMT.