| The following GAIN reports were released on December 10, 2025. _______ Bulgaria's foodservice industry grew steadily in 2024, supported by curbing inflation, higher wages, and stronger consumer confidence. Bulgaria's full accession to the Schengen Area and preparations to adopt the euro as its official currency on January 1, 2026, boosted tourism, trade, and investment activity. Despite ongoing economic challenges, including elevated energy and labor costs, and regional geopolitical instability, the sector remained resilient and adaptive. Record tourism levels increased demand for high-quality imported food and beverages. Bulgaria's stable tax system, strategic location, and improving infrastructure continue to create opportunities for U.S. exporters, with future growth driven by innovation, modernization, and evolving consumer preferences for value and healthier choices. Bulgaria's grocery retail sector has endured amid recent economic challenges, including inflationary pressures, supply chain disturbances, and the Russia-Ukraine War. In 2024, grocery retail sales grew by 2.5 percent year-on-year, reaching Bulgarian Lev (BGN) 15.2 billion ($8.1 billion), supported by still-elevated prices and stable consumer demand. Modern retail strengthened its position, accounting for two-thirds of total grocery sales, while traditional outlets continued to decline. Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area in 2025 and planned adoption of the euro in 2026, should improve trade flows, reduce transaction costs, and enhance investor confidence. Exports of U.S. consumer-oriented products to Bulgaria grew by 26 percent. Good prospects for U.S. exports exist based on consumer preferences for high-quality, healthy, and innovative foods - particularly nuts, pulses, beef, wine, and specialty products - although price sensitivity and competition with European Union (EU) suppliers are challenges. This report provides an overview of Burma's food service, retail, and processing industries and highlights opportunities for U.S. food and beverage products. Although a policy-level push for greater indigenous manufacturing of food and feed products and regulatory challenges, such as a rigid import licensing regime, constrain imports, opportunity for imported food and feed products and ingredients in Burma remains. Burma's urbanization and expanding digital platforms are driving new consumption patterns for market niches. In marketing year (MY) 2024/25, favorable climatic conditions and abundant rainfall boosted avocado production to 240,000 metric tons (MT), a 60 percent increase from MY 2023/24. Post expects MY 2025/26 production to remain unchanged at 240,000 MT. The planted area remains stable at 33,025 hectares, with the Valparaíso region accounting for 61.9 percent of total production. In MY 2024/25, exports surged to 134,255 MT, a 50.3 percent increase, driven by strong demand from markets such as Argentina, the Netherlands, and Spain, while imports declined by 27.6 percent due to higher domestic supply. Chileans maintain high per capita avocado consumption, incorporating avocados into daily meals and foodservice offerings like sandwiches and sushi, with prices remaining competitive due to increased supply. In comparison to 2023, Czech food service sales increased 5 percent in 2024 to CZK 70.7 billion (USD 3.5 billion). Competition in the food service sector intensified in 2024, especially with key online retailers increasing their focus on ready-to-eat meal delivery services. As economic conditions began to improve in 2024, Czechs became more inclined to dine out, boosting demand for full-service restaurants. Pilsen Urquell is the leading player in 2024, with a foodservice value share of 3 percent. Prague continues to attract international tourism, which annually generates significant revenue. The iconic Hotel InterContinental has reopened as the five-star Fairmont Golden Prague following a total (USD 190 million) five-year renovation. The Czech market offers good opportunities for U.S. exporters of consumer-oriented food products, particularly nuts, seafood products, and distilled spirits. This report presents regulatory requirements and standards that must be fulfilled to export food and agricultural products to Ethiopia. The report contains pertinent information on applicable laws, regulations, directives, guidelines, procedures, and key regulatory contact details. It is recommended that this report be read with the FAIRS Export Certificate Report for a comprehensive understanding of the import regulatory requirements and standards. This report summarizes the list of major export certificates, documentation, and other regulatory requirements to export food and agricultural products to Ethiopia. The report is organized using information obtained from publicly available sources as well as from industry contacts. Post strongly suggests this report be read with the FAIRS Country Report for an in-depth insight on Ethiopia's import requirements, regulations, and standards. EU-27 sugar production in MY 2025/2026 is forecast to decline due to a reduction in sugar beet planting area, especially in Germany, France, and Poland, although yields are expected to be relatively good thanks to favorable growing conditions elsewhere. As a result, exports are forecast to fall and imports to rise, while consumption is expected to remain broadly stable, with long-term structural declines persisting due to demographic shifts, growing health awareness, and voluntary industry reformulation efforts. Ongoing Free Trade Agreement discussions and negotiations, where sugar access remains highly sensitive, continue to raise concerns among sector stakeholders about potential unfair competition. France's agricultural biotechnology sector operates under strict regulations and faces significant public opposition, limiting its development despite growing discussions about agricultural innovation and food security driven by climate change and global challenges. While the country is a leader in medical biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology remains underfunded, tightly controlled, and widely unpopular. The government permits the import of genetically engineered (GE) products for animal feed but prohibits their cultivation and restricts research. However, interest in New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) is increasing, reflecting broader trends across the European Union as stakeholders explore solutions to address climate-related and food security concerns. In 2024 and 2025, Japan has met the government's mandated annual target of 824 million liters of bioethanol, with oil refineries continuing to supply bioethanol in the form of ETBE (ethyl tert-butyl ether). In 2025, Japan's average ethanol blend rate has remained at 1.9 percent. Japan is planning to introduce nationwide E10 direct blending by fiscal year (FY) 2030, while continuing with existing ETBE initiatives. Japanese oil refineries are preparing to conduct E10 regional test-runs in Okinawa Prefecture starting in FY 2028. In April 2025 and located in Sakai, Osaka, Japan's first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant began production with used cooking oil as the feedstock. However, other planned SAF projects are experiencing delays. Relatedly, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's intention to abolish the 25.1 yen per liter provisional gasoline tax by the end of 2025 could slow the adoption of ethanol direct blending in the short term. Mexico's dairy industry in 2026 is expected to experience broad growth due to forecasted increases in milk production and consumption, driven by increased modernization and investment. Post forecast milk production to reach 14.1 million metric tons (MMT), a 2 percent increase. The country's cheese sector is a driver in this growth, with production, consumption, and imports all forecast to rise. Butter production is forecast to see a marginal lift and imports are forecast to increase substantially to meet rising demand from the industrial and tourism sectors. The forecasts also show a greater reliance on imported raw materials like Skimmed Milk Powder. An isolated ASF outbreak in October 2025 has prompted Taiwan to announce a phased ban on food waste in pig feed, with a transition period in 2026 and a total ban by 2027. The ban is expected to moderately increase Taiwan's demand for imported corn and soybeans, though the impact will be dependent on the speed of local implementation, exceptions for business-generated food waste, and changes in the hog sector. The government is supporting the transition with subsidies and infrastructure investment, but concerns remain about added pressure on waste management systems. Turkey's cotton production for MY 2025/26 is forecast to decline, with estimates adjusted downward to 665,000 metric tons (MT) (3.05 million bales) due to economic and climate-related factors. Subsidies for cotton production remain insufficient to keep production from declining, with farmers and industry leaders urging the government to increase support to prevent further declines and ensure the survival of the domestic textile/garment industry. Cotton consumption is also expected to decrease to 1.4 million MT (MMT) (6.43 million bales). Cotton imports in MY 2025/26 are forecast to slightly decrease to 900,000 MT (4.13 million bales), and cotton exports are expected to be 250,000 MT (1.15 million bales). Some companies from the Turkish textile and apparel industries are shutting down, partially closing, or going bankrupt because of low demand for finished garments by local and international brands, while some other producers are moving investments to lower-cost production countries, like Egypt. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. |
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