Browse Data and Analysis

Sections Updated: Section I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, X and Appendix II

This report includes technical information and certificate requirements for food and agricultural product exports to the Republic of Korea.

After reaching a five-year high in 2024, Korea’s potato production will return to average levels in 2025.

While per capita grain consumption in Korea remains steady, or declining in the case of rice, increased manufacturing of K-food for exports drives total consumption, offsetting decreases in other sectors.

FAS/Seoul forecasts 2025 Korean cattle production and slaughter will drop to 951,000 head and 1,078,000 head respectively. FAS/Seoul forecasts 2025 beef imports to dip to 574,000 metric tons (MT).

This report highlights the food processing industry, its drivers, key players, and market landscape in the Caribbean Basin. The region relies heavily on imports, and the United States is the largest supplier of food ingredients.

In 2024, the Dutch food processing industry continued to face challenges due to geopolitical tensions, market uncertainty, and rising raw material costs, all of which are causing price fluctuations.

The United States is a major trading partner with the Dominican Republic (DR). The DR is the largest economy in the Caribbean and the seventh-largest economy in Latin America. Since the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) went into effect for the DR in 2007, U.S. agricultural exports to the DR have increased from $1 billion in 2007 to $2 billion in 2024.

Although domestic soybean production is forecast to reach a 20-year high in marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Korea will remain dependent on imports for 89 percent of total supply.

Between 2018 and 2024, U.S. exports of confectionery products have skyrocketed from $4 million to $28 million and exports of chocolate and cocoa product grown from $16 million to a record high $31 million.

On January 14, 2025, Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) published new import health requirements (IHRs) for pet food, which are effective immediately. With the new IHRs, there is now a pathway to approve U.S. pet food products containing ruminant ingredients, which had been banned since 2003.

On December 31, 2024, Korea issued its flexible tariff Adjustment and Tariff Rate Quota list for certain agricultural, forestry and fishery products for calendar year (CY) 2025.