Browse Data and Analysis

In 2024, Israel's technologically advanced, market-oriented economy achieved an annual GDP of $541.8 billion, with a modest growth of 0.9 percent. The food retail industry saw significant activity, with sales reaching $21 billion in 2024 and a projected growth of 5 percent in 2025.

Post expects Brazil to remain the world's largest producer of sugarcane and sugar in marketing year (MY) 2025/26. Total sugarcane production is forecast at 671 million metric tons (MMT), and total sugar production is forecast at 44.7 MMT, raw value.

The Brazilian Food Processors' Association reported 2024 Brazilian food processing sector revenues at US$233 billion, a growth of 9.9 percent compared to the previous year.

Brazil’s corn planted area and production for MY 2025/26 are expected to increase. Low stocks and strong demand led corn prices to high levels in the domestic market, growing producers’ sowing outlooks.

For MY 2025/26, Post forecasts cotton area to grow 2.9 percent compared to the current season, to 2.13 million hectares. Post also forecasts cotton production at a record 17.8 million bales (3.87 million metric tons (MMT)).

Israel will continue to rely on imported feed and grains as it uses land and water resources for more cash crops. Due to poor weather conditions, Post forecasts Israel’s marketing year 2025/26 wheat production down (due to poor weather conditions) and imports up as production was limited.

Brazil is the second-largest chicken meat producer in the world after the United States and the largest chicken meat exporter in the world.

Post forecasts that Brazilian producers will expand soybean planted area to 48.2 million hectares (ha) in the 2025/26 season, up from an estimated 47.3 million ha in 2024/25.

Total Saudi wheat imports for 2025/26 are forecast to decline 10 percent to 3.2 million metric tons (MMT), due to projected high local production. Saudi barley imports for MY 2025/26 are projected to increase by 10 percent to 3.3 MMT compared to last MY.

On March 27, 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Justice and the Israeli Ministry of Health published a request for public comments on changes to European Union Directive 1999/2/EC related to reporting requirements in food and food ingredients treated with ionizing radiation.

On February 27, 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Justice and the Israeli Ministry of Health published a request for public comments on changes to European Union regulation No 1169/2011 related to the provision of food information for consumers.

On February 26, 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Justice and the Israeli Ministry of Health published a request for public comments on changes to five European Union regulations related to labeling (including messages and prohibited and restricted substances in food) and food improvement agents.