GAIN Reports from February 28, 2022

The following GAIN reports were released on February 28, 2022. _______   Argentina: Oilseeds and Products Update Post reduces its MY 2021/2022 soybean production estimate to 41 million metric tons (MMT), 4 MMT below the official USDA estimate. Despite rains in January which forestalled greater losses, high temperatures and dryness in December and early January caused considerable damage in key growing areas and depleted soil moisture reserves. Severe drought affecting the soybean crop in Paraguay will limit Argentine imports to 2.2 MMT, less than half of MY 2020/2021 imports. In addition to decreased supply from the prior two factors, slow farmer selling is expected to reduce the pace of Argentine soybean crushing in the first half of 2022 with Post projecting MY 2021/2022 crush at 39.4 MMT, matching the official USDA estimate. Soybean exports are reduced to 3 MMT, 700,000 MT below the official USDA estimate. Post maintains its production estimate for sunflowerseed and raises its peanut estimate as these crops are grown in regions which have been less affected by drought and are naturally more drought resistant.   Bulgaria: Oilseeds and Products Market Update Bulgarian farmers planted higher area under rapeseed in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 due to attractive and consistently increasing prices. Due to the mild winter, current prospects for the yields are favorable but under the risk of lower inputs' application. Early FAS Sofia projection for the crop is at 350,000 metric tons (MT). Industry indicates that farmers also plan to expand area under sunflower due to favorable local and export demand, and lower production costs compared to corn. FAS Sofia currently forecasts sunflower area to grow to 860,000 hectares (HA). In MY 2021/22, both rapeseed crush and exports have grown as a result of better crop and good demand. Sunflower exports are at a record low to date at the expense of increased crush. As of early February, Bulgaria leads the EU in terms of exports of sunflower seeds, meal, and oil to third markets accounting for 43 percent, 21 percent, and 46 percent, respectively, of total EU exports of these products.   China: Decree 248 Additions to List of Items Subject to Decreeto Decree 248 On February 24, 2022, GACC made eight additions to the list of items falling within the scope of Decree 248. American exporters are encouraged to pay attention to the additions which include frozen potatoes, frozen corn, frozen fruit, and supplementary foods for infants and young children. An updated spreadsheet of the commodities subject to the scope of Decree 248 is attached.   Japan: Japan 246th Food Safety Group Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) proposed revisions to Japan's maximum residue levels for 7 agricultural chemicals (Triflumizole, 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid, Flometoquin, Bentazone, Metominostrobin, Etoxazole and Permethrin) for various agricultural commodities. MHLW also proposed to newly designate potassium hydrogen carbonate as a food additive. Furthermore, MHLW proposes to delist 3-Acetyl-2,5-dimethylfuran (ADF) from the approved food additives. Interested U.S. parties are encouraged to submit their comments to PlantDivision@usda.gov for plant products and to TFAA.FAS.AnimalDivision@usda.gov for animal products by March 3, 2022.   Mexico: Hemp Regulation and Trade in Mexico This report outlines the current situation for hemp and hemp-related products in Mexico. Given the proximity in both geographic and cultural terms, the growth in the industrial hemp sector in the United States is clearly recognized in Mexico. However, years of illicit cannabis cultivation in Mexico, and the resulting strict legal framework designed to prevent drug trafficking currently restricts potential for related items that have established a legal presence in the United States and other countries. Trade in hemp products is also limited, but the United States holds a sizeable market share of what hemp fiber products Mexico does import.   For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. This email was sent to ooseims.archieves@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service · 1400 Independence Avenue, SW · Washington, DC 20250