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Chile is the second-largest South American market for U.S. agricultural products. Solid political institutions and a stable macroeconomic environment, combined with high consumer purchasing power, make Chile a lucrative market for U.S. producers of wheat, cheese, pet food, alcoholic beverages, and other consumer-oriented products.

Post forecasts the Brazilian coffee production for Marketing Year 2023/24 (July-June) at 66.4 million 60-kg bags, an increase of 3.8 million bags compared to the previous crop. Post forecasts arabica production at 44.7 million bags, an increase of 12 percent from the previous season due to favorable weather conditions in growing regions.

Assuming normal growing conditions for open-field and shade house cultivation, as well continued greenhouse technology use, Post forecasts Mexico’s 2023 fresh tomato production at 3.87 million metric tons (MMT), a marginal increase over the Government of Mexico’s (GOM) official 2022 production estimate of 3.8 MMT.

In MY 2022/23, FAS Santiago estimates lemon production will increase by 26.4 percent and total 172,000 MT (metric tons) due to favorable climatic conditions. Lemon exports will increase by 33.9 percent and reach 75,000 MT due to higher productions and a decrease in freight costs.

El Salvador's coffee production is expected to reach 650,000 sixty-kg bags in marketing year (MY) 2022/23. The Salvadoran coffee sector continues to struggle mainly due to climate vulnerability and a lack of long-term strategy that hinders needed investment at the farm level.

Errata: The version of this report issued on May 9, 2023, with the title “Mexico Amends the National List of Permitted Substances for Organic Agriculture,” is replaced by this corrected report that provides a revised summary and background of a recent Government of Mexico (GOM) announcement regarding Mexico's organic program.

Post forecasts both rising dairy imports and production in 2023, due to a favorable exchange rate and increased domestic demand for dairy products.

FAS/Managua projects Nicaraguan Arabica coffee production to remain mostly flat in marketing year 2023/24 at 2.46 million 60-kilogram bags, reflecting successive years of sub-optimal fertilizer application dating back to 2020 when fertilizer prices rose amid global supply chain disruptions and new taxes on agricultural inputs.

FAS/San José is projecting a small marketing year 2023/24 production increase to 1.44 million 60-kilogram bags, based on positive initial flowering, expected appropriate fertilization levels, and better overall condition of farms.

The United States remains the top export market for Mexican coffee, including green, roasted, and soluble coffee.

In calendar year 2022, Venezuelan agricultural imports grew by 20 percent to $3 billion, driven by an estimated 8 percent economic growth and recovering consumer demand. Agricultural imports from the United States totaled $809 million in 2022, up 28 percent compared to 2021.

In marketing year (MY) 2023/24, Colombian coffee production is forecast to increase by 3 percent to 11.6 million bags of green bean equivalent (GBE) coffee driven by improving weather conditions, which have hurt production over the past two years.