| The following GAIN reports were released on March 11, 2026. _______
FAS/Cairo (Post) projects Egypt's wheat imports for marketing year 2026/27 at 12.5 million metric tons, a decrease from the previous year due to an expected increase in domestic production. In contrast, corn imports are forecast to rise in marketing year 2026/27 to support the expanding poultry and feed industries. U.S. corn is regaining a presence in the Egyptian market, driven by competitive pricing and superior quality. Rice production is expected to remain steady compared to last year, with exports likely to continue to regional markets. Bite size local news, Post reports and activity summaries wrapped by ATO Hong Kong. In this issue: U.S. agricultural exports to Hong Kong increase six percent in 2025; ATO shares American culinary history with students at Hong Kong Polytechnic University; U.S. pet food brands expand market leadership at the Hong Kong Pet Show; Washington's Cosmic Crisp apples expand retail presence; Hong Kong's economy grows 3.5 percent in 2025 amid a tourism rebound but uneven domestic consumption; the HKSAR prepares its first locally formulated Five-Year Plan aligned with national priorities; labor shortages and cross-border dining reshape the foodservice sector; retail sales reflect a widening gap between visitor-driven luxury spending and cautious household demand; and Macau weighs tourism tax reform while navigating uneven recovery in non-gaming spending. Post forecasts Mexico's berry production for calendar year 2026 to increase by 4 percent to 1.2 million MT across blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. This growth in production is driven by Mexican industry's investments in improved varieties, adoption of modern growing techniques, and changes to harvest timing to capture premium pricing windows in international markets. Mexico's largest area of production continues to be strawberries, which represent 54 percent of total production. Blueberry production is forecast to substantially grow as Mexican growers shift to focus on premium markets, leveraging the spring window to reduce competition with Peruvian exports to the U.S. market. Mexico is expected to maintain its position as the top supplier of fresh berries to the United States in 2026. U.S. beef exports to Saudi Arabia no longer need to be from a USDA Export Verification program. Separately, Saudi Arabia now permits bovine-derived tallow in animal feed, including ruminant feed. The removal of the Export Verification requirement, along with tallow acceptance, is likely to lower trade barriers and increase U.S. beef exports to Saudi Arabia. On March 4, 2026, Taiwan announced the extension of tariff and business tax exemptions for several agricultural commodities until the end of September 2026. The tariff on beef and selective butter products and milk powder is reduced by 50 percent, the tariff on wheat and the business tax on imported corn, soybeans, and wheat are waived. These measures, originally set to expire at the end of March 2026, represent the 17th wave of tax reduction measures since their initial implementation in December 2021. The government aims to keep the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth rate below two percent. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment