Browse Data and Analysis

This guide provides an overview of health certificates needed for exporting plants, animals, foods, and other animal origin products to the European Union. U.S. regulatory agencies have been informed of the wide range of certificates changes that have occurred in the past months and have updated their export manuals to reflect those changes.

This report provides an overview of EU food and feed legislation currently in force for the EU. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) staff reviewed and updated all sections of this annual report.

In 2021, the Brazilian foodservice industry reached revenues of BRL 460 billion (USD85.2 billion), a growth of 26 percent compared to 2020. Although many challenges are still present, the forecast for 2022 is at 18 percent growth compared to 2021.

Post forecasts an increase in cattle production by 2.8 percent in 2022 and one percent in 2023, driven by global demand, elevated beef prices, and a general trend of expansion in the sector. Nevertheless, increasing production costs, especially feed prices, inflation, and unstable weather are expected to pose challenges to cattle ranchers.

After an EU-wide drought in 2022, the EU27 dairy herd is forecast to drop below 20 million head in 2023. This will lead to a continued decrease in milk production and deliveries for factory use despite higher farm gate milk prices. As EU dairy processors continue to favor cheese production, the decrease in milk deliveries will be at the expense of butter and non-fat dry milk (NFDM), and, to a lower extent, lower whole milk powder (WMP) production, despite high world market prices.

Post increased its forecast for soybean planted area to 42.8 million hectares for 2021/22, up previously from 42.5 million hectares. Brazil continues to expand its area due to record high domestic soybean prices. Post forecasts a record harvest at 148.5 million metric tons (MMT), increased from 144 MMT previously with planting starting earlier this year as well.

Post forecasts 2022/23 cotton area planted at 1.65 million hectares (ha), an increase of just over one percent from the 1.63 million ha cotton area estimate for 2021/22. Post’s forecast is based on expectations that despite challenges, such as risings costs and tightening margins, Brazilian producers are optimistic about the crop’s prospects, and eager to continue growing the sector.

This report updates several sections of the European Union’s “Oilseeds and Products Annual” report released in April 2022. Updated sections include soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower. Increased areas of about 10 percent for all three major oilseeds but lower average yields for sunflower, and rapeseed are forecast to result in a total of about 3 percent higher production in MY 2022/23.

Total EU27 sugar production for MY 2022/23 is forecast at 16 million metric tons (MMT), a decrease of 330,000 metric tons (MT) from MY 2021/22. This is the fifth consecutive year that the EU internal sugar production cannot meet domestic sugar consumption.

The European Union (EU) follows a complex, rolling system of review for active ingredients and Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in food. For agricultural inputs, U.S. farmers must know early in the process of review to prevent or mitigate the loss of, and/or access to, chemical inputs.

One of the goals of the EU’s Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy is to enhance the EU’s animal welfare legislation. The enforcement of existing legislation on animal welfare during transport has proven difficult in past years.

Brazil’s Marketing Year (MY) 2022/23 sugarcane crop is estimated at 621 million metric tons (MMT), an increase of eight percent compared to the final estimate for MY 2021/22 (576 MMT), supported by better weather conditions vis-à-vis the previous year. Sugar prices remain attractive and sugar-ethanol plants have focused on sugar production as opposed to ethanol. Brazilian exports for MY 2022/23 are estimated at 28.2 MMT, raw value, an increase of 2.25 MMT relative to the previous season.