Browse Data and Analysis

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).

The National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) published the National Food Safety Standard for “Sanitary Practices for The Production of Cooked Meat Products” (GB 19303-2023) on September 6, 2023.

Forecast soybean production for MY 24/25 is unchanged at 19.6 million metric tons (MMT) based on a planted area of 9.95 million hectares (Mha). Relatively low and declining soybean meal (SBM) prices since the beginning of MY 23/24 could encourage more SBM use in feed production.

Forecast MY 24/25 cotton production is 5.9 million metric tons (MMT), unchanged from the previous report and the estimate for MY 23/24. A marginally higher yield estimate of 2,014 kg/Ha offset a slightly lower planted area unchanged from the previous report at 2.93 million hectares (MHa) on lower cotton profits in regions outside Xinjiang in MY 23/24.

On April 10, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) Plant Variety Protection Office published a notice “Further Clarifying the Submission Requirements for Sexual Propagation Materials,” related to plant variety rights.

On April 14, 2023, the National Development Reform Commission (NDRC) published Announcement No. 369 on Implementation Measures for Improving the Target Price Policy for Cotton.

The General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) recently updated the list of products subject to Decree 248 and has not notified these changes to trade partners.

On April 12, 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) jointly published a draft “Implementation Opinions of SAMR and MARA on Carrying Out Crop Seed Certification" for comment.

In August 2021, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) released an updated National Food Safety Standard Restricting Excessive Packaging for Foods and Cosmetics (GB 23350-2021).

On April 14, 2023, China notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1278 two updated phytosanitary certificate templates. These are the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Phytosanitary Certificate and the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Phytosanitary Certificate for Re-Export.

MY 2022/23 cane sugar production is estimated at 7.92 MMT, revised down 1.08 MMT from the USDA official estimate due to lower-than-normal rainfall in Guangxi, China’s largest sugar producing province. Sugar consumption has begun to rebound since after the removal of COVID-related restrictions. As China’s sugar imports are curbed by high world prices, stocks are likely to decline.