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Vietnam’s livestock and aquaculture sectors expanded in Calendar Year (CY) 2024 on steady economic growth and lower feed prices. Feed importers have increased purchases and diversified suppliers.

Difficult growing conditions and a contracting domestic industry continue to pressure Greek cotton farmers and further its reliance on government subsidies for survival. Greece’s MY 2025/26 cotton production is forecast at 1.02 million bales, down 5.5 percent from the previous season due to lower planting.

Cotton imports are forecast to grow by six percent to 7.6 million bales in marketing year (MY) 2025/26 based on expected growth in the textile and yarn sector.

On March 31, 2025, the Government of Vietnam (GVN) issued Decree 73/2025/ND-CP, reducing the Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) import tariff rates on corn, soybean meal, ethanol, frozen chicken drumsticks, in-shell pistachios, almonds, fresh apples, cherries, and raisins. The decree takes effect immediately.

The Vietnamese food processing industry grew by 7.4 percent in 2024 to $79.3 billion and food ingredient demand is expected to remain strong.

Vietnam’s soybean crushers are expanding capacity with new production lines coming online in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 marketing years.

This report provides information to U.S. exporters of agricultural and related products on how to do business with the Food Processing industry in Panama. It is primarily a service – based economy, but food processing is one of its top industries.

On February 18, 2025, Vietnam's National Assembly approved a major government restructuring, consolidating ministries and agencies, eliminating certain National Assembly and Party committees, and dissolving multiple state-run organizations to streamline operations and support economic growth.

On January 14, 2025, the Panamanian Food Agency (APA) and the Ministry of Health of Panama confirmed that the dairy plants registration process has been significantly expedited, resolving a trade barrier created on July 17, 2023.

This report provides an unofficial translation of Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) Directive 16, issued on December 26, 2024, outlining solutions to promote the use of biofuels in Vietnam.

Although Panama highlighted the use of biotechnology in its Agricultural State Policy Law 352 of 2023, Panama has not yet established the implementing regulations of Law 48 of 2002, which created the National Commission of Biosafety for Genetically Modified Organisms.

This report outlines how U.S. food and agriculture exporters engage with the hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) sector in Panama. This sector plays a vital role in Panama's economy and is driven by international tourism.