| The following GAIN reports were released on March 31, 2025. _______ For marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Post forecasts a slight increase in cotton imports due to increasing demand in the ready-made garments industry. West African cotton holds the largest market share in Bangladesh, while other major exporters include Brazil, India, and the United States. For marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Post forecasts lower rice imports than in MY 2024/25, assuming higher production based on favorable weather. Demand for wheat continues to increase and Post forecasts slightly higher imports for MY 2025/26 to align with demand. As Bangladesh's feed sector grows, more farmers are planting to corn to take advantage of the high prices and increased demand. Production of oilseeds (including canola, soybeans, and sunflower seeds) is forecast to increase only marginally in MY 2025/26 over the previous marketing year, reaching 25.57 million MT. Strong canola oil demand from the United States is expected to continue as canola oil export prices average their lowest since 2020 and a weak Canadian dollar helps offset at least part of the newly imposed tariff costs on American importers. Canada continues to benefit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) December 1, 2022 determination to approve U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathways for certain biofuels produced from canola oil. Canola processing levels and the export levels of canola seed and products in MY 2025/26 are highly dependent on the future determination of several regulatory factors in the United States and Canada. Ghana's cocoa bean production in marketing year (MY) 2024/2025 (October-September) is expected to climb to 700,000 metric tons (MT), up 32 percent from the MY 2023/2024 season's 531,000 MT production figure. The jump in production is attributable to improved yields recorded during the early part of the current year's main crop harvest. In the MY 2024/2025 season, reportedly more effective pruning exercises are underway. Also, the Ghanaian government is supplying farmers with more adequate quantities of insecticides to cover this season's application requirements. Ghana's cocoa bean exports are projected to reach 520,000 MT, up 55 percent over the preceding year's estimate of 336,000 MT. Despite heavy rains in March, the 2025 wheat crop will be below the 10-year average. Production will be slightly higher than the drought impacted levels of 2024, but hot and dry weather early in the growing season and less area planted will limit total wheat production. Post forecasts MY 2025/26 production at 1.7 MMT for common wheat, 1.1 MMT for durum wheat, and 700,000 MT for barley. To cover demand while maintaining stock levels, Post forecasts Morocco's wheat imports in MY 2025/26 at 7.3 MMT, while barley imports are forecast at 0.9 MMT. As inflation eases, Post forecasts food sales growth at five percent in 2025 driven by population growth and rising incomes. Food and beverage manufacturing is expanding, indicating solid growth in the sector, amid higher production costs, particularly for inputs. Manufacturers are developing new products to increase sales and rely on U.S. ingredients for quality and consistency. The United States remains the largest single-country exporter to the Philippines with 16 percent market share. The Philippine market presents strong opportunities for wheat, dairy products, poultry, pork, beef, starch products, fruits, vegetables, food preparations, and soybeans from the United States. The United Kingdom's (UK) food manufacturing sector faces a challenging landscape, with cost increases projected to reach 2.9 percent in 2025. In response, manufacturers are strategically focusing on new product development to capture market share and cater to evolving consumer demands for healthier choices. Key trends anticipated for 2025 include products with reduced sugar content, bold and spicy flavor profiles, and innovative products of melon-inspired ingredients. On October 1, 2025, new regulations targeting products high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) will take effect, prohibiting volume-based pricing strategies and restricting advertising on television and online before 9:00 PM. In addition, an increased sugar tax will impact the pricing of high-sugar beverages, encompassing soft drinks, sweetened coffees, and milkshakes. Two years after the primary Precision Breeding legislation was passed, the UK government has published the secondary legislation needed to implement it. After this Statutory Instrument clears its Parliamentary hurdles, the way should be clear for gene editing techniques to be used to develop improved crop varieties for commercialization, with applications for the first authorizations expected in fall 2025. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment