GAIN Reports from October 26, 2026

\The following GAIN reports were released on October 26, 2026. _______ Cote d'Ivoire: Cote d'Ivoire on the French Fry Frontier - Potato Market Brief - 2026 Côte d’Ivoire relies almost entirely on foreign potato imports; averaging some 62,000 metric tons (MT) per annum. FAS Accra, Abidjan (Post) trade sources estimate annual national consumption at between 60,000 to 80,000 MT. Estimates in value-terms put Côte d’Ivoire’s fresh, ware potato imports recently in 2025, at $12.5 million/annum; with another $2.7 million in frozen processed product. The average retail price is $1.17 per kilogram (kg). Ivorian’s demand for ware (Irish) potatoes is expanding, rapidly outstripping what little domestic production capacity there might be. Over the 2020-2025 period, frozen potato imports are experiencing 78 percent growth. Potatoes, a temperate cool weather crop, are not suited to Côte d’Ivoire’s hot and humid climate; making traditional cultivation difficult. European Union: Dairy and Products Annual 2027 European Union (EU) milk production is forecast to decline slightly to 153.3 million metric tons (MMT), from an estimated 153.7 MMT in 2026, due to declining cow milk deliveries prompted by decreasing cow numbers, lower profitability, environmental regulations, and disease outbreaks. With lower milk production, factory use consumption is forecast to slightly decrease in 2027. As a result, dairy processors will need to determine which products to make with available milk. Cheese production is forecast to remain the primary output goal of the EU dairy processing industry, supported by solid domestic consumption, export demand, and additional revenues from whey powder. 2027 EU27 cheese production is forecast to reach 11.2 MMT, up by 0.3 percent from 2026. However, this increase will come at the expense of the production of butter, skim milk powder, and whole milk powder. Germany: Germany Transposes EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Germany transposed the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) into national law. This included naming the competent authority and establishing penalties for non-compliance. Guatemala: FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual U.S. federal export certificates are valid in Guatemala. Processed food products must be registered with the Ministry of Health, and animal products require samples as part of the registration process. Pet food must be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, but samples are not required. A certificate of analysis is required for pet food both for registration and for each shipment. Mexico: 2026 Beef Cattle Genetics and Nutrition Roadshow in Mexico In September 2026, the Agricultural Trade Office in Monterrey, U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, U.S. Soybean Export Council, and U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council held their third U.S. Beef Cattle Genetics & Nutrition Roadshow in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Mexico’s beef cattle industry, valued at around $10 billion annually, is key to Northern Mexico’s economy and U.S.-Mexico trade. Focused on advancing livestock genetics and nutrition to boost herd productivity and beef quality, the event linked U.S. suppliers, Mexican producers, USDA cooperators, State Departments of Agriculture, and other stakeholders. Thailand: Biofuels Annual In addition to continued promotion of on-road higher ethanol and biodiesel blends through pricing incentives and tax measures, the Thai government aims to align its domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production with international standards. Rising electric vehicle adoption also encourages domestic ethanol producers to shift from on-road to higher-value applications such as SAF and bioplastics, even as feedstock constraints and cost premiums pose ongoing challenges. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit www.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 Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service · 1400 Independence Avenue, SW · Washington, DC 20250