Western Hemisphere

Brazil is set for another record-breaking grain harvest. Post maintains its corn planted area forecast at 22.5 million hectares for MY 2022/2023 and corn production is forecast at 125.5 MMT for MY 2022/2023, up 8 percent from the estimated 116 MMT for MY 2021/2022.

Dry weather and high temperatures in the last months of 2022 have damaged the Marketing Year (MY) 2022/23 Argentine soybean crop, particularly affecting first crop soybeans within a 125 kilometer radius of Rosario, Santa Fe Province.

In the marketing year 2022/23, wheat production increased more than 50 percent from the previous year to 33.8 million metric tons on increased area planted and higher yields due to improved soil moisture.

For FY 2023, USDA anticipates awarding up to $224 million in new McGovern-Dole cooperative agreements. USDA has identified the following as priority countries for FY 2023: Cameroon, Haiti, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, and Togo.

USDA Under Secretary Alexis Taylor and USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator Doug McKalip met with Mexican officials regarding the presidential decree to phase out the use and importation of genetically engineered corn and other products.

In honor of National Hot Sauce Day, USDA-FAS is celebrating a category of U.S. food exports that come in small packages but pack a lot of flavors and often heat – condiments and sauces. In 2021, the export of U.S.-made condiments and sauces was valued at $2 billion.