Browse Data and Analysis

On May 24, 2022, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry/Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued notification No. 10/2015-20, amending its sugar export policy. The notification specifies that exports of raw, refined, and white sugar fall under the “restricted” category.

On May 24, 2022, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry/Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued Public Notice No. 10/2015-20 (May 24, 2022) (see, Appendix I). The public notice specifies that India is allocating a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 2 million metric tons (MMT) for crude soybean oil and a similar TRQ of 2 MMT for crude sunflower oil in India fiscal year (IFY) 2022/23 and in IFY 2023/24. The Indian government’s measure is meant to address the high domestic prices of edible oils, and to check rising food inflation.

Heat stress resulting from an unprecedented spike in temperatures beginning in the mid-March 2022 has had a marked impact India’s wheat crop. Yields are 10-15 percent down, driving India’s forecasted market year (MY) 2022/23 (April-March) wheat production down from 110 million metric tons (MMT) to 99 MMT.

Having pegged its nationally acceptable limit of aflatoxin in peanut at 10 parts per billion (ppb) as far back as 2018, Ghana could well be leading, and not just supporting the regional block’s preference of setting the MRL for aflatoxin in peanut at 10 ppb.

On May 5, 2022, trade and finance ministers from East African Community (EAC) member countries agreed to raise minimum common external tariffs from 25 to 35 percent on several agricultural products.

To stem the burgeoning current account deficit and declining foreign exchange reserves, on May 19, 2022, Pakistan banned imports of many categories of agricultural products.

On May 2, 2022, the Ministry of Consumer, Food and Public Distribution, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced approval for the importation of an additional 550,000 metric tons (MT) of soybean meal (including GE derived).

Bangladesh consumes approximately 6 million metric tons of chemical fertilizers annually, of which about 80 percent are imported. The four major imported chemical fertilizers in Bangladesh are urea, triple super phosphate, diammonium phosphate, and muriate of potash (MOP). Russia and Belarus were the dominant suppliers of MOP in Bangladesh.

Nigeria’s current 10-year Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) will end next year – likely moving on to another 10-year Phase Two Plan. The growth in sugar consumption is expected to be driven by the food processing sector.

The South African Agricultural Economic Fact Sheet has been updated to include calendar year 2021. Bilateral agricultural trad between the United States and South Africa reached record levels of US$860 million in 2021.

On Friday, May 13, 2022, the Indian government announced a ban on wheat exports, effective immediately, citing the sudden spike in global wheat prices and the resulting food security risks to India.

Kenya’s MY2022/23 coffee production is forecast to decrease by 10 percent to 700,000 bags due to lower yields caused by reduced fertilizer application. MY 2022/23 area planted is anticipated to remain flat at 105,000 hectares as new plantings are curtailed by a shortage of coffee seeds.