| The following GAIN reports were released on September 17, 2025. _______ Australian beef production is forecast to remain at a near record level in 2026, following an estimated record high in 2025. Adult cattle slaughter is similarly expected to ease slightly in 2026 after reaching record levels in 2025. These near-record outcomes are supported by elevated female slaughter rates for a third consecutive year, driven by strong global demand for beef. Live cattle exports are projected to soften marginally but remain robust in 2026. Australian pork production is forecast to achieve its fourth consecutive year of growth in 2026. Domestic consumption and pork imports are also expected to rise slightly. The United States, which regained its position in 2024 as Australia's leading source of pork imports, is projected to maintain this dominant position in 2026. Shenzhen is one of China's four first-tier cities and the closest mainland city to Hong Kong, ranking among the top Chinese cities in per capita GDP and purchasing power. The city's hospitality, retail, and tourism sectors experienced a robust post-COVID recovery, attracting a growing number of international and domestic travelers. In addition to being referred to as "the "Silicon Valley of China", the city is home to multiple international investors, including HRI and retail. With its affluent consumer base and well-developed distribution channels, Shenzhen presents significant opportunities for U.S. agricultural and food products. Morocco's retail sector in 2025 is still dominated by small traditional grocers, but there is steady growth potential for modern retail trade formats, particularly in urban centers, as consumer lifestyles shift and demand for convenience, variety, and competitive pricing expands. In 2024, U.S. exports of consumer-oriented products to Morocco reached $275 million. Post has identified U.S. almonds and pistachios, and limited volumes of seafood, chocolates, sauces, and spirits available on select Moroccan retail shelves. Best prospects include almonds, pistachios, protein concentrates, food preparations, cheese, rice, seafood, beer, spirits and liqueurs, sauces, and condiments. The U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement is the only American free trade agreement on the African continent. FAS Manila forecasts 2026 chicken meat production at 1.81 million metric tons (MMT) ready-to-cook, a 7 percent increase from the estimated production in 2025. This growth is expected to be driven by the commercial rollout of a vaccine against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), enhanced biosecurity measures adopted by poultry farms, the ongoing impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on pork supply, and strong performance in the food service sector. Chicken meat imports in 2026 are forecast to reach 560 thousand MT (TMT), supported by the lifting of temporary import bans related to HPAI, sustained consumer demand, and robust economic growth. This report provides a comprehensive overview of Thailand's food retail sector, including the latest market developments and trends in U.S. food and agricultural trade with Thailand. The food retail sector continues to evolve, driven by growing consumer demand for convenience and modern retail formats. Food and beverage sales remain a key growth driver, representing a substantial share of overall retail activity. Key factors shaping the sector's development in the coming years include urbanization, rising disposable incomes, changing consumer preferences, and an increasing focus on health, wellness, and sustainability. The cattle number will remain on its downward trend in 2025 and 2026. Post expects industrial cattle numbers to stabilize in 2026, while less efficient households will continue to contract their inventories, pulling down the aggregate cattle number. Ukraine's beef production will remain predominantly a function of the dairy sector and will shrink, following decreased inventory. High beef prices in 2025 will have limited influence, as domestic consumption slowly migrates to cheaper animal proteins. Exports of live cattle and beef will remain strong despite shrinking animal inventory. Limited swine industry recovery started in the second half of 2025, and Post expects animal number growth in 2026. The EU remains the leading supplier of pork. Post forecasts Ukraine's walnut production at 100,500 metric tons (MT) for marketing year (MY) 2025/26, similar to Post's previous MY estimate. Household production continues to fall as older, non-productive trees are being cut down. Total areas for industrial growers are decreasing due to the lack of long-term investment precipitated by the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as producers switching to annual crops that offer faster returns on investment. MY2024/25 exports were low due to quality issues in households caused by lack of moisture. Current weather conditions suggest the MY2025/26 crop might feature similar quality issues. Ukrainian walnut exporters are sandwiched between large global suppliers, including the United States, which set the bar high in terms of quality standards. Under these circumstances, household producers, which generate the bulk of walnut output, cannot deliver sufficient quality to readily compete. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. | 
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