Browse Data and Analysis

On November 14, 2023, Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) released its final estimate of 2023 rice production at 3.7 million metric tons (MMT), up an additional 0.5 percent from the initial rice production estimates released in early October and down 1.6 percent overall from the prior year.

In 2023, the Korean government implemented three rounds of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for various imported agricultural, livestock, and fishery products, including new TRQs to stabilize food prices.

As the 5th largest country export market for the United States, Korea provides a promising market for U.S. agricultural products. In 2022, Korea imported about $50 billion agricultural and food products from all over the world and the U.S. supplied a fifth of it, ranking number one. Other key suppliers were China, Australia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Already reeling from high fruit prices, Korean consumers will face another year of expensive, lower-quality apples. Korea’s apple production for marketing year (MY) 2023/24 fell 25 percent year-on-year after orchards suffered a series of adverse weather events in 2023.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and has the largest economy on the continent. Demographically, its population is relatively young and urbanizing.

The Animal Health Directorate in the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) released a progress report on the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak that was first detected in the Western Cape Province in April 2023.

South African production of lemons is forecast to rise by 10 percent in MY 2023/24 on sufficient irrigation and greater input investments by producers, while tangerine/mandarins production is forecast to increase by 4 percent.

Based on recent changes to regulations, updated internet links, and revised reporting guidelines, all portions of this report have been updated.

This report has been updated to reflect the newest information and contacts relevant to exporting to South Africa. The FAIRS certificate report includes a list of the main licenses and certificates needed to export food and agricultural products from the United States to South Africa.

Ample opportunities exist for U.S. agricultural exports to South Korea. Highlighted in the chart above, U.S. agricultural product exports were a record $9.5 billion in 2022, up 2 percent from 2021. South Korea is the sixth largest export market for the United States, thanks in part to a successful free trade agreement (KORUS) between the two countries and a robust demand for high-quality U.S. food products.

Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority (NBA) on Friday September 15, 2023, approved the Bt cowpea event 245F (Cry2Ab) for environmental release.

Although Mozambique has not yet approved the use of genetically engineered (GE) crops, an effort has been made to start drafting an updated biosafety/biotechnology law that will allow GE commercialization.