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On April 17, 2024, the Government of Mexico published a law in the Official Gazette to establish mandatory warning labeling for products containing genetically engineered ingredients and to enshrine socioeconomic considerations into national food policy.

Japan's fresh vegetable market is estimated at approximately 14 million metric tons of which around 5 percent comes from imports. In 2023, the United States was the fourth largest supplier of fresh vegetables to Japan at $52 million and the second largest by volume at 46,309 metric tons.

Post forecasts Mexico’s sugar production at 5.5 million metric tons raw value (MMT-RV) for marketing year (MY) 2024/25 (October 1 – September 30), 13 percent higher than the estimate for MY 2023/24.

Mexico’s oilseed crush in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 is forecast to increase due to higher vegetable oil and animal feed demand. Forecast economic growth and lower interest rates are expected to drive production of oil and meal and increase Mexico’s soybean and rapeseed imports by four percent and seventeen percent, respectively.

Mexico’s 2024 avocado production is forecast at 2.77 million metric tons (MMT), a five percent increase over 2023 on strong export demand. Production in 2023 reached 2.65 MMT, up four percent compared to the previous year.

In relation to persistent rising food prices, Japan has seen a decline in overall vegetable oil consumption. Due to the more favorable crush margin for canola compared to soybeans, FAS/Tokyo forecasts a reduction in soybean imports and crush, while seeing an increase in rapeseed imports and crush for both MY 2023/24 and MY 2024/25.

This report highlights Japan’s food processing industry, notable trends, and a market snapshot of western Japan. The industry experienced a 4.1 percent decline in the value of food produced in 2023 from 2022 on a dollar basis totaling $182 billion compared to $190 billion in 2022.