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On October 3, 2022, the Dutch government announced Mr. Piet Adema has been named the new Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality. Mr. Adema replaces Henk Staghouwer who resigned in September after he informed the Dutch Cabinet and Parliament about his Ministry’s delay in providing a plan for the future outlook of the Dutch agricultural sector and after he failed to obtain Brussels’ permission to continue to exceed caps on how much manure farmers can apply to their fields.

On October 3, 2022, the Office of the President of Mexico announced the Opening Agreement against Inflation and Scarcity (APECIC) between the Government of Mexico and fifteen private companies, aimed at combatting food price inflation. The agreement extends through February 2023 and pledges to reduce the prices of 24 basic goods (mostly food items) by eight percent.

Good weather conditions and an “on-year” for production will push Turkey's pistachio production higher in MY 2022/23. The production of almonds and hazelnuts is likewise forecast higher, while walnut production is expected to remain steady.

FAS Manila revised MY 2022/23 milled rice production downward to 11.975 million MT both because of a 3 percent expected reduction in yields as soaring fertilizer prices result in significantly reduced application and because of the effects of Typhoon Noru (Local name: Karding).

With the further relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, increased consumer mobility resulted in higher foot traffic in restaurants and hotels. Consumers have become more confident in dining in restaurants.

The 2022/2023 sugarcane harvested area is slightly reduced due to the impacts of the recent flooding in key production areas. As a result, the 2022/23 cane sugar production forecast is lowered to 7 million tons. Despite the slight decline in output expected, there will still be an exportable surplus, and the 2022/23 export forecast remains 1 million tons.

Taiwan is the seventh-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports. Taiwan has vibrant urban communities and a highly developed e-commerce industry that provides convenience for customers, all which support Taiwan’s continued demand for safe and high-quality food products. In addition, evolving consumption trends suggest customers are increasingly looking for western-style food options that cannot be locally sourced. Since domestic food production alone cannot match increased food demand, agricultural imports will continue to play an important role in Taiwan’s retail food economy. While trade barriers exist and competition intensifies, opportunities to increase U.S. agricultural exports remain promising.

This report provides an unofficial translation of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Circular 09/2022 dated August 19, 2022, to amend and supplement regulations on import quarantine of terrestrial animals and terrestrial animal products. This Circular will take effect on October 6, 2022.

South Africa has announced plans to transfer numerous governmental functions including agricultural inspections to the new Border Management Agency which currently falls under Home Affairs.

On September 15, 2022, Taiwan announced the extension of tariff and tax exemptions for several agricultural commodities till the end of 2022. The tariff on beef and selective butter products and milk powder is reduced by 50 percent, the tariff on wheat and the business tax on imported corn, soybeans and wheat are waived. These measures have been in place since December 2021.

On September 29, 2022, Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health published updated precautionary requirements for some imported foodstuffs lifting a ban on U.S. poultry and poultry products from all U.S. states.

This report is an update to GAIN report number EG2022-0022. Attaching the English translation of the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) Decision of Board of Directors No. 6/2022 concerning the binding technical basis for maximum residue levels (MRLs) for chemical contaminants in food.