Browse Data and Analysis

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has joined international commitments to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and passed a Carbon Neutrality Act in 2021 to promote green growth. Although the agricultural industry will be relatively less impacted than some other sectors (including energy), agricultural producers will need to make some adjustments.

In the first quarter of 2022, U.S. agricultural exports fell to the lowest level in four years. While expanding U.S. direct exports to China, and lingering shipping issues continue to drive the overall decline in U.S. agricultural exports to Hong Kong, government restrictions in response to the city’s fifth wave of the pandemic exacerbated the drop in U.S. agricultural sales.

Rice export prices decreased 1-2 percent due to the weakening of the Thai baht.

On May 19, 2022, the Philippine Department of Agriculture issued Memorandum Circular No. 8, governing the rules and procedures for evaluating new plant breeding techniques.

Indonesia’s 2022/23 coffee production is forecast to increase by 7 percent from the previous year to 11.35 million (60 kilogram) bags on favorable weather in southern Sumatra. Improved demand following the easing of pandemic-related restrictions is expected to raise domestic coffee consumption to 4.8 million bags in 2022/23.

Post forecast Burmese rice exports lower in May due to slow business activities along with changing trade and exchange rate policies and high domestic prices. Domestic prices for Emata increased in May due to high transportation costs and a smaller domestic supply as exporters fulfilled advanced sale contracts. Domestic prices for Shwe Bo Pawsan remained unchanged.

The Hong Kong wine market has stayed resilient since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The local foodservice business has suffered the most as the operation of restaurants and bars were often curbed to contain the virus. However, wine retail sales injected energy to a sluggish market and enabled the continuation of wine consumption in Hong Kong.

New Zealand milk production is forecast to fall in 2022 as a result of continued dry conditions in key producing areas, high feed prices, a smaller dairy herd, and continued labor shortages.

Milk production in Australia in 2022 is forecast to decrease by over four percent to 8.6 million metric tons (MMT). Despite generally good production conditions for 2022, the slump in milk production is largely due farmers continuing to exit the dairy industry through farm sales and some dairy farms partially or fully transitioning to less labor-intensive beef cattle production.

On April 26, 2022, the Philippine Department of Health’s Food and Drug Administration notified the World Trade Organization of a “Draft Administrative Order Revised Rules and Regulations on the Licensing of Food Establishments and Registration of Processed Food, and Other Food Products, and for Other Purposes Repealing Administrative Order 2014-0029.” Trading partners and other stakeholders have until June 25, 2022 to submit comments.

In 2021, the total value of U.S. agricultural and food exports to Hong Kong dropped 12 percent compared to 2020, continuing its decline from the 2017 peak and reaching its lowest level since 2008. The overall drop in exports was driven primarily by lower sales of consumer-ready products which offset recoveries in other product categories.

A recent industry survey in one of China’s leading provinces for textile and apparel manufacturing highlights the negative impact of the PRC’s zero-tolerance COVID policy in the world’s largest cotton market and area economy. According to survey results, production estimates are down, costs are higher, and deliveries are delayed.