Browse Data and Analysis

In marketing year (MY) 2021/22 Chile will produce 220,000 metric tons of avocado, a 57 percent increase over MY2020/21, due to favorable climatic conditions.

The Dominican Republic continues to be a strong market for U.S. bulk agricultural products (corn), intermediate goods (soybean meal), and high value consumer-oriented products (processed food products), reaching a total export value of $1.4 billion in 2020.

Biosafety regulatory efforts in the Caribbean remain stalled, and it is yet to be seen whether countries can regain the will and secure the international financing required to fully implement their National Biosafety Frameworks in a harmonized manner.

On January 29, 2021, the Court of Constitution dismissed an opposition lawsuit filed back in 2020 against the biosafety technical regulation approved on October 1, 2019 by the Ministry of Economy as part of the regulatory harmonization process with Honduras.

Agricultural biotechnology constitutes an opportunity for U.S. suppliers, as non-governmental and governmental organizations have been working to encourage its integration into the Haitian economy in recent years.

On June 2021, Kenya became the first country globally to approve the environmental release of genetically engineered (GE) cassava. Bt. corn will likely be sent to Kenya’s cabinet for exemption from Kenya’s GE ban and final approval in fall 2021.

South Africa has a robust and experienced regulatory system for genetically engineered (GE) products, which started with the publication of its “GMO” Act in 1997. Today, South Africa is among the top-10 largest producers of GE crops in the world and by far the largest in Africa.

The Government of Tanzania (GoT) uses a conservative, precautionary approach to manage genetically engineered (GE) products.

The Government of Senegal is still reviewing and revising its new biosafety law which may include language for an expedited approval process for certain genetically engineered (GE) products.

Mexico is the third-largest pork importer in the world and traditionally the largest U.S. market for pork exports by volume. Over the past few years, shipments to this important market have faced headwinds. First, retaliatory tariffs related to Section 232 actions disadvantaged U.S. product. Then the coronavirus pandemic and a weak Mexican economy weighed on demand.

The Agricultural Trade Office (ATO)/Sao Paulo estimate for the Brazilian coffee production for Marketing Year (MY) 2021/22 (July-June) remains unchanged at 56.3 million 60-kg bags, a significant decrease of 19 percent compared to last year’s record output of 69.9 million bags.

In 2021, despite advantages offered through the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA), U.S. rice exports to Colombia have declined to just $5 million through July. The significantly lower exports to this market are a result of a larger Colombian crop and lower domestic prices, plus increased competition from South American exporters.