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New Zealand milk production is forecasted to fall slightly in 2023. Although milk prices are at extremely high levels and expected to remain elevated, a number of issues are limiting the production response. This includes a slowly declining national herd, and also that on-farm inflation is expected to remain high as a result of the weak NZ dollar impacting imported input prices, as well as strong global fuel prices.

FAS/Bangkok (Post) revised down MY2022/23 rice production slightly to 19.9 MMT due to flood damage on main-crop rice production. MY2022/23 corn production and imports, as well as wheat imports, remain unchanged from the previous forecast.

Taiwan’s domestic apple production rose to 1,458 MT in MY 2021/2022, though production area continues to shrink due to economic, trade, and environmental factors. Taiwan’s apple demand remains strong and consumption is almost entirely import dependent. Total imports in MY 2021/2022 were 151,260 MT and are forecast to increase to 154,000 in MY 2022/2023. The United States holds the largest market share by volume, though New Zealand is rapidly gaining market share and enjoys a tariff advantage.

Saudi Arabia was a 24th largest market ($1.34 million) for U.S. food and agricultural products last year. A return to pre-Covid living and working conditions are invigorating U.S. agricultural exports to the Kingdom in 2022. U.S. Customs data for January – August 2022 shows an 11 percent increase in U.S. agricultural exports to Saudi Arabia compared to the same period in 2021.

Canada continues to be the largest export market for U.S. consumer-oriented products. In 2021, U.S. consumer-oriented exports to Canada reached $18 billion, doubling the amount exported to the second largest market, Mexico.

Marketing year (MY) 2022/23 palm kernel production is forecast at 62,000 metric tons (MT), down by about nine percent compared to Post’s MY2021/22 projection. This is mainly because of an annual three-month drought period (December-February) that negatively affects FFB yield, and consequently kernel yield.

On October 27, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a new order pertaining to FSSAI Order F. No. 1829/Health Certificate/ FSSAI/Imports (2021), which extends the effective compliance date. The new effective compliance date is now set for January 1, 2023 (the previous effective compliance date was November 1, 2022).

Domestic milk production is forecast to decrease to 2 million tons in 2023. 2022 milk production is projected to drop to 2.01 million tons after reaching 2.34 million tons in 2021. Milk production is expected to show a decreasing trend due to the decreasing number of dairy farms and falling demand for milk.

This report provides trade data on Vietnam's monthly rice exports by grade and destination and weekly export quotes for rice by grade.

FAS/Canada projects modest growth for milk and cheese production in 2023, as consumption remains stable, and the market is partially supplied by rising import volumes following implementation of Canada’s various trade agreements. Butter production is forecast to grow in 2023, as stocks remain low, depleted by sustained strong consumption.

On October 20, 2022, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a clarification on certain provisions to the 2018 Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulation.

On October 11, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published notification No. Std/EC/T(NSF-01) in the Gazette of India: Extraordinary (official gazette). The notification was subsequently published on the FSSAI website on October 14, 2022.