A new study has found that food products linked to their place of origin are economically and socially beneficial to rural areas and promote sustainable development.
Food products registered with a Geographical Indication (GI) label boast an annual trade value of over $50 billion worldwide. Such products have specific characteristics, qualities or reputations stemming from their geographical origin.
The study Strengthening sustainable food systems through geographical indications by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) analyses the economic impact of Geographical Indication registration in nine case studies: Colombian coffee, Darjeeling tea (India), Futog cabbage (Serbia), Kona coffee (United States), Manchego cheese (Spain), Penja pepper (Cameroon), Taliouine saffron (Morocco), Tête de Moine cheese (Switzerland) and Vale dos Vinhedos wine (Brazil)........
Outage: Case Status by Text Message
Because of system maintenance, we are not able to send you text messages updating you about changes in the status of your case....
April 25, 2018
Tools Outage
USCIS will conduct system maintenance on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, from 9 p.m. until midnight (Eastern)....
April 24, 2018
Credit Card Payment Now Available for Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
The USCIS Phoenix Lockbox facility is now accepting Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document.As of April 18, the Nebraska Service Center no longer accepts this form ...
Part 2: Long-Term Care Financial Planning
Part 2: Long-Term Care Financial Planning “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” presents #eldercare resources for seniors and their families to plan for long-term care needs. Read more in our blog at: https://bit.ly/2qYmRzD
 |
 |
Get Your Export Questions Answered in Free Webinar Series
Is the world passing you by as competitors expand abroad? Convinced foreign buyers would love your product – if only they knew? Concerned about the cost, complexity or risk of doing international business?
We're here to help! During World Trade Month (May), federal agencies are bringing you a FREE four-part webinar series on how to succeed abroad. You'll get valuable insights from our trade professionals.
No pre-registration is required. Just go here to get the details.
Federal agencies presenting: U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. Department of Commerce (International Trade Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, and Bureau of Industry and Security).
Post forecasts 2018/19 soybean production at 115 million metric tons (mmt), the second largest crop on record. The 2018/19 planted area is forecast to increase to a record of 35.8 million hectares due to higher prices, higher expected demand by Chinese buyers, and an increase in domestic consumption. Exports for the 2018/19 Marketing Year are forecast at 67 mmt and soybeans destined for processing will reach a record of 44 mmt due to the economic recovery and new biodiesel blending mandate.
Although Bulgaria’s per capita fish and seafood consumption is below the European Union (EU) average, importers seek to expand the selection of fish available on the local market, especially in mid and high-value ranges. 2017 U.S. hake and mackerel exports to Bulgaria increased by 163 percent and 29 percent respectively. U.S. squid and lobster exports were also higher. The restaurant sector is an important driver for fish and seafood demand growth in Bulgaria.
In the second of its ongoing “Friends of the ATO” series of seminars, ATO staff hosted business leaders from throughout Northeast China to discuss the U.S.-China wood market outlook at its headquarters on April 12, 2018.
Production for MY 2018/19 is projected at 1.45 million metric tons (MMT) based on minor increases to both area and yield. Since 2008, Côte d’Ivoire has pursued policies to become self-sufficient and eventually a regional exporter, but remains a major importer of milled rice from various Asian suppliers. MY 2018/19 imports are projected at 1.3 MMT. Import demand is expected to continue rising steadily in the short term to account for population growth and shifts from traditional staples. Overall, Post is recommending downward revisions to import and consumption figures based upon previously unaccounted transshipments to neighboring countries and informal trade of domestic paddy rice across borders. U.S. rice exports to the region struggle to compete with Asian suppliers, particularly in recent years as low-priced Chinese exports entered the market.
El Salvador's sugarcane planted area in marketing year (MY) 2018/19 remains the same as in MY 2017/18 at approximately 82,000 hectares (ha). The Salvadoran Sugar Council (CONSAA) continues to regulate sugar trade. In MY 2017, top sugar export destinations were China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Canada, Venezuela and Romania. Favorable (but volatile) international prices continue to provide financial relief to the sugar sector. The draft law for production of alternative fuels, including ethanol, is still "on hold" and there is no set date for its entry into force. Although El Salvador plans to join the Customs Union with Guatemala and Honduras, sugar will likely not be included in the products that will benefit with duty-free trade.
The EU started the post-quota era with an all-time record sugar production of 22.8 million MT for MY 2017/2018, of which 21.1 million MT is for processing into sugar and 1.7 million MT is for industrial use. The acreage for the MY 2018/19 sugar beet crop is forecast to remain the same as last year’s crop. The MY 2017/18 record crop is expected to make the EU the third largest global sugar exporter again, while MY 2017/18 sugar imports are likely to be halved to 1.4 million MT compared to MY 2016/17. EU sugar consumption is expected to slightly increase from competitive exports of sugar containing foods and despite a decreasing domestic consumption. The EU sugar ending stock level was significantly increased as a result of large unsold industrial sugar stocks at the end of the sugar quota system.
Germany is by far the biggest market for food and beverages in the European Union. The food retail sector is saturated, highly consolidated and competitive. There is good sales potential on the German market for U.S. exporters of nuts, fish and seafood products, dried fruits, sweet potatoes, bakery products, organic products and pulses.
Capital to the sixth largest economy of India and home to the second oldest U.S. diplomatic mission in the world, Kolkata is a market filled with highly educated, well-traveled and willing to spend consumers. “The Kolkata market is a market filled with un-tapped potential for American foods and beverages,” say industry sources in a market where imports of food and agricultural products clearing customs in 2017 stood at U.S. $5 million of which U.S.-origin products had a 12 percent market share.
High prices for Japanese table rice led to Japan’s full utilization of the simultaneous buy and sell quota (100,000 MT) in Japanese fiscal year 2017, and are expected to lead to continued opportunities in the coming year. This report contains complete data on Japanese rice tender results for the six most recent Japanese fiscal years (April thru March).
For 2017/18, total overall imports of corn into Malaysia are forecast to increase to 4 million tons. Even so, U.S. exports of corn are likely to increase to 320,000 tons, due to positive acceptance of U.S. corn among Malaysian feed millers as pricing is competitive and supplies are reliable. For 2018/19, imports of corn are forecast to slightly increase to 4.1 million tons. Malaysia’s wheat imports for 2017/18 are forecast to increase to 1.9 million tons. For 2018/19, wheat imports are forecast to stagnant at 1.9 million tons. U.S. wheat exports to Malaysia are estimated to increase to 210,000 tons, as demand for quality bread and bakery goods increases with rising living standards among Malaysian urbanites. Due to price and long distances, there has been no U.S. rice exported to Malaysia for the last few years, and this is likely to remain unchanged in the short term.
Marketing year (MY) 2018/19 total area and rice production for Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Senegal is forecast at 2.4 million HA and 4.2 million MT assuming good weather and continued subsidized inputs that may influence planting decisions. MY 2018/19 total imports for all the aforementioned countries are estimated to increase approximately 14.5 percent to 3.375 million MT on steady demand and expectations of competitive international prices. This annual report primarily focuses on providing an overview of Senegal; it includes an abridged analysis for Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov.
