Browse Data and Analysis

In 2024, French imports of U.S. food and agricultural products reached approximately $1.05 billion, reflecting modest growth.

This report offers U.S. exporters of agricultural and related products valuable insights on conducting business in Panama. In 2024, exports of U.S. agricultural and related products to Panama reached approximately $942.6 million.

This report is a supplementary follow-up to the 2025 Senegal Grain and Feed Annual, covering rice in Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Despite a 13 percent drop in area harvested due to flooding in MY 2024/25, Mali continues to be the largest rice producer among the three countries.

Changes to Panama's import requirements reflected in this report are for pork, dairy products, seafood and rice. A new law establishes the inspections and food safety regulations for food products.

Panama recognizes the certificates and standards of the U.S. regulatory and sanitary inspection system, based on the United States – Panama Agreement regarding certain Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures and Technical Standards affecting Trade in Agricultural products, of December 20, 2006, simplifying requirements for the importation of U.S. food and feed products. Panama accepts electronic certificates.

The United States Department of Agriculture, led by the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, finalized new export health certificates for several animal products in three West African countries.

The French food processing industry mobilizes more than 19,000 companies, of which nearly 98 percent are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The sector generates $177 billion in annual revenue, and it indirectly contributes to nearly 2 million jobs in France.

This report provides information to U.S. exporters of agricultural and related products on how to do business with the Food Processing industry in Panama. It is primarily a service – based economy, but food processing is one of its top industries.

On January 14, 2025, the Panamanian Food Agency (APA) and the Ministry of Health of Panama confirmed that the dairy plants registration process has been significantly expedited, resolving a trade barrier created on July 17, 2023.

As a member of the European Union, France implements EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products.

Although Panama highlighted the use of biotechnology in its Agricultural State Policy Law 352 of 2023, Panama has not yet established the implementing regulations of Law 48 of 2002, which created the National Commission of Biosafety for Genetically Modified Organisms.

France, as a member of the European Union (EU), generally follows EU directives, regulations, and obligations. This report focuses on food laws in force in France that cover areas which are not EU harmonized.