Browse Data and Analysis

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) will enter Year 5 of agreement implementation on April 1, 2023, eliminating tariffs on multiple products with staging categories where tariffs were reduced in four annual increments beginning on April 1 of Year 2 (April 1, 2020).

Australian oilseed production, dominated by canola, is expected to be strong again in marketing year (MY) 2023/24, but down from the record in MY 2022/23. Canola production is forecast in MY 2023/24 at 5.5 million metric tons (MMT), the third largest from the record-busting crop estimated at 8.3 MMT in MY 2022/23.

In 2021, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) surpassed the United States as the world’s largest blueberry producer. Blueberries are planted in 26 of China’s 34 provinces. Meanwhile, China is also the world’s leading importer of blueberries.

FAS/San José projects Costa Rican sugar production to rebound to 400,000 metric tons in marketing year 2023/24, climbing nearly 10 percent higher from marketing year 2022/23, on drier conditions associated with the anticipated return of an El Niño weather system.

FAS/Seoul forecasts marketing year (MY) 2023/24 corn imports to remain flat, with U.S. market share gradually recovering towards the end of the year. Wheat imports are expected to decline towards the long term average as feed wheat loses a temporary price advantage over corn.

According to the latest data released by the National Association of the Canned Vegetables Industry (Anicav), Italy is the third largest processed tomato producer in the world (behind the United States and China), representing approximately 14.8 percent of the global production and 56.5 percent of Europe’s production, with revenue of nearly $5.4 billion in 2022.

In MY 2021/22, the total value of Japan’s soybean imports reached a historical record while rapeseed crush hit the lowest point in 10 years as rapeseed imports from Canada declined.

Sugar production in 2023/24 is forecast at 7.05 million tons, three percent above the 2022/23 estimate. The marginal increase is due to expectations for a recovery in cane area harvested compared to the flood-damaged 2022/23 crop.

FAS Colombo (Post) forecast’s Sri Lanka’s market year (MY) 2023/2024 (October-September) rice production (milled) at 3.16 million metric tons (MMT), with a planted area of 1 million hectares.

FAS Amman (Post) forecasts Jordan’s wheat imports in MY 2023/24 to reach 1.25 million MT. The Russian war on Ukraine directly impacts Jordan, as most of Jordan's wheat and barley come from Black Sea.

On March 6, 2023, China notified the National Food Safety Standard for Fermented Wine and Its Preparation to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1265.

On March 6, 2023, China notified a new National Food Safety Standard of Food Nutrition Fortifier Heme Iron to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/SPS/N/CHN/1267. The deadline for comment submission is May 5, 2023.