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The potential to introduce U.S. origin food processing ingredients into the Indian market remains strong, due to rising demand for snacking and consumer-oriented food products.

FAS Mumbai estimates marketing year (MY) 2023/24 India cotton production at 25.5 million 480 lb. bales on 12.4 million hectares area planted, a decrease from the previous year due to the expectation that farmers will shift cotton acreage to higher return crops such as oilseeds and pulses.

FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts India’s market (MY) 2023/2024 (April-March) wheat production at 108 million metric tons (MMT) resulting from 31.9 million hectares.

On March 3, 2023, India’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying/Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) published on its website, a revised integrated veterinary health certificate (VHC), that incorporates the DAHD’s sanitary requirements along with those of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) (national food safety authority) food safety requirements.

India’s rapeseed and mustard (rapeseed-mustard) production estimate for marketing year (MY) 2022/2023 (October-September) is forecast to drop slightly to 11.4 million metric tons, harvested from a record 9.2 million hectares following a favorable monsoon performance in the state of Rajasthan.

On February 27, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified on its website Direction 1-94/FSSAI/SP (Claims and Advertisement)/2017.

On February 24, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an order pertaining to FSSAI Order TIC-20012/2021-IMPORTS-FSSAI (E2475), extending the compliance date for a third time for Imports of Milk, Pork, and Fish Products.

The expansion of India’s dairy sector is driving the increase in the cattle (both bovine and Asian domestic water buffalo) herd numbers. In marketing year (MY) 2023 (January-December) herd numbers have grown to 307.5 million head as compared to 306.7 million head in 2022.

From September 24 to October 16, 2022, FAS New Delhi (Post) organized a nationwide “Taste of America Fusion Food” campaign at “Social,” (Social Ltd.) a chain of contemporary bistro restaurants. The three-week Taste of America promotion, held in eight, Social Ltd. outlets across five cities, highlighted the versatility, flavor, and wholesomeness of select U.S. food ingredients that can be utilized in India’s rapidly growing restaurant industry.

On February 8, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified on its website the Corrigendum 12014/01/2020-QA (January 19, 2022). This corrigendum modifies the earlier FSSAI Order No. 12014/01/2020-QA (November 3, 2021).

On February 1, 2023, India’s Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue issued Notification No. 02/2023-Customs in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Subsection (i) (official gazette), whereby it sets the import duty tariff rate for pecans, HS code 0802.9900, at 30 percent, effective April 1, 2023.

On February 1, 2023, the Ministry of Finance, Government of India presented its annual Union Budget to the Lok Sabha (lower parliament house) for Indian fiscal year 2023/2024 (April 1-March 31). In its Finance Bill, 2023 (No. 02/2023-Customs), the Finance Ministry announced changes in customs and central excise duty rates for various commodities, including pecans.