Browse Data and Analysis

The Caribbean Basin region continues to experience growth, driven primarily by the steady rise in tourism, which in turn impacts consumer demand.

Chile presents strong opportunities for U.S. exporters, supported by its open economy, transparent regulatory environment, and long-standing Free Trade Agreement with the United States.

Despite recent economic headwinds, Egypt’s food ingredient market is experiencing modest growth driven by increasing demand for processed and packaged foods.

FAS Cairo (Post) forecasts Egyptian sugar production in marketing year (MY) 2025/26 (October-September) to rise to 3.18 million metric tons (MMT). This increase is driven by industrial demand and higher prices for sugar beets, incentivizing many farmers to plant more beets.

Following several detentions of dairy products at Chilean ports that reached over 1 Million USD , Post reminds U.S. exporters of the import requirements set by the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture for dairy products.

FAS/Cairo (Post) forecasts Egypt’s soybean imports in marketing year (MY) 2025/26 (October – September) to increase by 5.0 percent from the previous marketing driven by a flexible exchange rate, the availability of forex and a more positive outlook for the livestock sectors.

While small local grocers dominate the Egyptian retail market, representing more than 50 percent of sales by value, convenience and price will continue to drive the majority of Egyptian consumer buying decisions, presenting growth opportunities across all retail channels.

This report highlights the food processing industry, its drivers, key players, and market landscape in the Caribbean Basin. The region relies heavily on imports, and the United States is the largest supplier of food ingredients.

The Chilean food processing industry is a highly developed and competitive sector, playing a crucial role in the national economy.

Post forecasts Egypt’s MY 2025/26 cotton production at 320,000 bales, down 25 percent from the previous season due to a significant decrease in area harvested.

For marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Post estimates that the wheat area harvested will total 193,000 hectares (ha), representing a 1.0 percent decrease from MY 2024/25 due to high input costs and low prices.

Egypt’s wheat imports for marketing year 2025/26 are estimated at 13.0 million metric tons, unchanged from Post’s estimate in the previous marketing year which was revised upward by 4 percent due to the availability of forex contributing to an increase in imports.