Browse Data and Analysis

On November 4, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of 58 seed production and operational licenses, including 13 genetically engineered (GE) corn seed production and operational licenses.

On October 28, 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) published a revised “National Standard for Seed of Food Crops – Part 1: Cereals”, which will come into effect on October 1, 2025.

Import permits for genetically engineered (GE) corn from the United States are once again issued by South Africa. After a mid-summer drought that caused a 22 percent drop in production, South Africa needs to import corn to supplement domestic production.

Kazakh farmers are finishing harvest, having dealt with rains in early September and cold night temperatures in October that reduced overall quality but only marginally affected quantity.

In marketing year (MY) 2024/2025, Colombia’s corn production is projected to remain at 1.5 million metric tons (MMT), 6 percent lower year-on-year

On October 8, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the registration of 30 genetically engineered (GE) corn and soy varieties, including 27 GE corn varieties and three GE soybean varieties.

Since USDA first established a stand-alone mission area focusing on trade and international affairs in 2017, USDA’s Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and the Foreign Agricultural Service have made significant trade policy advances to support U.S. agriculture. This series of commodity fact sheets highlights the many recent trade policy advances achieved by USDA.

The animal feed industry in South Africa is well established and highly scientific. Efficient formulations have enabled significant expansion of the livestock sector driven by a surge in local meat consumption.

Throughout summer 2024, Japan has been grappling with a table rice shortage resulting in empty supermarket as demand outpaced production for the last three years causing stocks to deplete to their lowest levels in over 20 years.

Ukraine introduced procedures for the approval of minimum export prices for selected bulk commodities, including grains, oilseeds, vegetable oils and meals, walnuts, and honey.

While the United States holds a 5-year average of less than 1 percent market share ($20.7 million in 2023 exports), Senegal has a growing food manufacturing industry that seeks cost-competitive ingredients and is expanding its exports to neighboring countries.

In July 2024, falling global wheat prices triggered a wheat import duty of Rand 176.30 (USD 9.70) per metric ton for South Africa ending more than three years of duty-free imports. The higher import duty was introduced amid a 7 percent drop in wheat planted area for marketing year 2024/25.