| The following GAIN reports were released on April 16, 2025. _______ On March 27, 2025, China's National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Edible Starch (GB 31637-2025). The updated final standard applies to edible starch products produced and sold in China, and it will enter into force on March 16, 2026. China notified the draft standard to the WTO on March 8, 2021. This report provides unofficial translation of the final standard. Stakeholders should conduct their own review of the regulation. Bite size local news, Post reports and activity summaries wrapped by ATO Hong Kong. In this issue: ATO Hong Kong and American agriculture support the U.S. Men's and Women's Rugby teams; U.S. wheat, cheese, and raisins are on the menu at Hong Kong Polytechnic University baking workshop; Hong Kong looks to boost cruise ship visits; Hong Kong Disney and commercial office space see turnaround; and the Ching Ming holiday sees a boost in arrivals. FAS Manila forecasts marketing year (MY) 2026 raw sugar production to remain flat at 1.85 million metric tons (MT). Ample rainfall during the planting season which started in October supported sugarcane planting among farms with no irrigation. Sugar imports will continue to stabilize supply and prices in the domestic market. Post forecasts refined imports of 300,000 MT (321,000 MT raw sugar equivalent) in MY 2026 per Sugar Order No. 5 released on March 12, 2025, and Sugar Order No 2, released on February 7, 2025. Post expects the Philippines to fulfill its 2025 U.S. WTO sugar tariff-rate quota allocation of 66,000 metric tons raw value (MTRV). At this time, Post forecasts zero exports in MY 2026. Serbia's overall grain production in MY 2024/25 had mixed results as its winter crops (wheat and barley) experienced bumper crops while corn, soybean and sunflower declined for the third year in a row. Corn quality was also a major issue this year with approximately 60 percent of the crop encountering aflatoxin contamination. For MY 2025/26, winter grain planting area slightly decreased from the previous year but experiencing favorable growing conditions to date. Serbia's MY 2025/26 wheat and barley crops are expected to be on par with annual production averages. MY 2025/26 sugar production is expected to further increase 2 percent from MY 2024/25. MY 2024/25 sugar demand by industrial uses is likely to decline significantly due to the Chinese ban on Thai sugar syrup exports. MY 2025/26 sugar exports are expected to slow down from MY 2024/25, following anticipated recovery in sugar exports from Brazil and India. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. | 
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