Browse Data and Analysis

In March 2024, the Council of the European Union and European Parliament concluded negotiations on the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Regulation. The current text is going through a legal review but is now de-facto final and is expected to be formally adopted in the coming months.

On April 4, 2024, the Government of Bangladesh issued a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) allowing the bulk import of animal feed ingredients without labels; fixing an issue that was causing tariffs to be applied to shipments of feed ingredients when bulk containers did not have labels in them.

EU27 beet sugar production for MY 2024/25 is projected to remain unchanged at 14.8 million metric tons (MMT), with increased cultivation across member states offsetting a slight decline in France.

In MY 2024/25, EU grain production is anticipated to exceed the previous season’s levels and amount to 274 MMT. Excessive rain currently prevails in the EU’s northwest, hampering winter grains development and impeding spring planting operations.

Colombia is the largest South American market for U.S. agricultural products and the seventh-largest market for U.S. food and beverage exports globally. Since the U.S. – Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) was implemented in 2012, U.S. agricultural exports have grown by more than 235 percent to a record $3.7 billion in 2023.

Bangladesh continues to increase rice production, for marketing year (MY) 2024/25, Post forecasts rice production at 37.7 million metric tons (MT). With high international prices and increased production, Post forecasts limited opportunities for Bangladesh to import rice in MY 2024/25.

MY 2024/25 European Union oilseed production is forecast to decline by about one percent over the previous year with good yields. This forecast is based on the assumption of average growing conditions, lower, more average yields, but increased area which cannot make up for the lower yields.

Post forecasts an increase in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 cotton imports on higher global demand for ready-made garments. Despite Bangladesh’s economic challenges, Post maintains MY 2023/24 cotton imports at 7.5 million bales, on lower yarn and fabric imports.