Browse Data and Analysis

As of September 2022, Israel does not have a policy restricting the use of imported genetically engineered (GE) commodities or derivative products. There are no changes in Israel’s policy towards plant, animal biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology compared to 2021.

The Philippines is a regional biotechnology leader and the first country in the world to approve Golden Rice for commercial propagation. The Bt Eggplant biosafety permit was signed on October 17, 2022, allowing commercial propagation. Planting of Golden Rice has started since its approval in 2021, while Bt corn acceptance has grown with more than 600,000 hectares planted in 2021.

The impact of the COVID-19 on the Israeli hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) sector was nothing short of devastating. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, accommodation and foodservice activities declined by forty percent in 2020. The sector started to recover during 2021, and it is expected to recover, with a return to pre-COVID-19 sales by 2023.

FY2022 agricultural exports reach record levels.

On October 18, 2022, The Government of the Philippines marked Bt eggplant as its third genetically engineered crop approved for commercial propagation, following Bt corn and Golden Rice.

Prospects for U.S. brewing ingredients remain strong amidst a robust local beer manufacturing industry. Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the Philippines, accounting for 72 percent of total alcohol consumption or 2.1 billion liters annually. Export prospects in the region are especially strong because of the country’s membership in various free trade agreements and its strategic location.