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On April 16, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of the Government of Japan opened a domestic public comment period on its revision of the safety regulations of feeds and feed additives produced with biotechnology.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) invites public comments on three different proposed Japan Agricultural Standard (JAS) revisions until May 17, 2025.

Production for Jamaica sugar is projected to fall to 33,000 metric tons (MT) for marketing year (MY) October 2025 to September 2026, consistent with the ongoing downward trend observed in the industry.

The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) of Japan proposed revisions of Japan’s maximum residue levels for four agricultural chemicals (Butachlor, Etofenprox, Spinetoram, and Prallethrin) for various agricultural commodities.

On April 1, 2025, Japan formally lifted the mandatory aflatoxin testing requirements on U.S. almonds compliant with the new almond export protocol.

This report highlights the harmonization of specific liquor taxes on alcoholic beverages that took effect on Oct.1st, 2024. U.S. exports of these products are not directly affected, but exporters should be aware of these changes.

Japan's vegetable oil and protein feed markets are mature and stable. While surging commodity prices and the shipping crisis impacted Japan's oilseed and product imports in the past, the situation has normalized.

The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) of the Government of Japan (GOJ) convened a meeting of the “Food Sanitation Standards Council, Newly Developed Food Investigation Committee” on February 21, 2025, to discuss the establishment of food safety standards for cell cultured foods.

In 2024, Japan's food processing sector had a 3.9 percent increase in the value of food produced, totaling $174 billion. Production increases occurred in dairy, alcoholic beverages, tea, coffee and cocoa, and health foods.

In October 2024, the Government of Japan (GOJ) added a genome edited potato to the list of genome edited products not subject to regulations for genetically engineered food and feed.

The Ministry of Agriculture has taken unprecedented steps to alleviate the soaring rice prices that have plagued Japan since the summer 2024 rice shortage.

Jordan, a Middle Eastern country with limited arable land and severe water scarcity, heavily relies on grain imports to meet domestic consumption needs.