Browse Data and Analysis

The South African Department of Agriculture (DoA) reported several new positive cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in the KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces in April 2025. Following the announcement of the FMD outbreak, China suspended imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from South Africa.

The 2024 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2024 calendar year.

The foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak that has impacted South Africa since 2021 continues to spread in some parts of the country despite government control efforts.

In 2025, beginning inventories and beef production declined due to the increased pace of slaughter in 2024. Beef consumption remains weak due to inflation, with a shift toward less expensive proteins such as pork.

South Africa’s dairy industry is likely to grow in the future due to improving economic factors, despite suffering from many weather and disease related challenges in the past five years. This growth may provide opportunities for dairy genetics exporters.

On December 17, 2024, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) invited public comments on a revision to the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS) for Chicken Eggs and Meat by Sustainable System.

FAS/Tokyo projects that Japan's fluid milk production will decline in 2025, primarily due to a decrease in the milking cow population anticipated from 2024.

Porcine semen is now eligible to be exported to South Africa from the United States.

FAS/Tokyo forecasts cattle inventory expands in 2025 on greater cow beginning stocks and a moderate pace of slaughtering from 2024.

Post forecasts that chicken meat production will increase by three percent to 1.65 million tons in Marketing Year (MY) 2025 as a result of a strengthening domestic sector. Post raises the 2024 production estimate by 6 percent to 1.59 million tons as the industry has rebounded from the 2023 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak.

FAS/Tokyo projects that in 2024 as well as 2025 Japan’s annual poultry production will expand to meet strong demand for domestically produced chicken.

On June 26, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries affirmed that it would increase the tariff-rate quota volumes for butter to 14,000 MT, but would leave non-fat dry milk (NFDM) unchanged at 750 MT.