FAS
Weekly Attache Report Digest
March 11,
2004
March Update
INDIA, March 11, 2004 -- Post expects a bumper rapeseed
crop estimated at 6.2 million tons during MY 2003.
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Consultation on Improvement of Mutual Recognition
EUROPEAN UNION, March 11, 2004 -- The European Commission
has launched an Internet consultation on how to improve the
practical application of the principle of mutual recognition,
which underpins the EU Internal Market. Interested parties are
invited to respond to a questionnaire by April 30, 2004.
Mutual recognition should allow products legally sold in one
Member State to be sold in all the others without having to
comply with different rules in each Member State, thus
avoiding a costly technical and bureaucratic burden for
businesses. Earlier last year, the Commission had published a
document clarifying the mutual recognition principle.
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Annual
SPAIN, March 11, 2004 -- The property boom continues with
an expected new dwelling starts record of 700,000 units this
year. While renovation activity continues firm, the furniture
industry is stagnant, and builders' joinery and carpentry
products continues strong but trade has notably deteriorated
with increased imports and decreased exports. Cooperage
activity has dramatically declined because wineries have
reduced barrel purchases. Forest products imports remained
stagnant last year at $1.51 billion. U.S. forest product
imports have continued to decline through 2003, but the
appreciation of the euro should fuel a rebound in 2004.
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EU Sanctions on US exports in WTO FSC case enter into
force March 1 2004
EUROPEAN UNION, March 11, 2004 -- On March 1, 2004, the
European Union's sanctions against certain U.S. exports to the
EU enter into force. This is part of the long running dispute
between the EU and U.S. over the American Foreign Sales
Corporations rules (FSC). The EU measures take the form of an
additional 5% tariff rising by 1% per month through to March
2005 should no resolution to the dispute be found. The move by
the EU is designed to create pressure to encourage U.S.
Congress to repeal the current FSC legislation.
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Annual: Part 1 of 2 - Analysis
CHINA, PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF, March 11, 2004 -- This report
forecasts MY04/05 total soybean imports to reach 25 MMT and
the preliminary estimate of soybean imports for MY03/04 is 22
MMT. High soybean prices, high freight rates and, to a lesser
extent, the current problems caused by avian influenza, will
limit imports in the near term. Longer term, however, limited
land, a strong economy,
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EU Rice Weekly, 9 March 2004
EUROPEAN UNION, March 11, 2004 -- This weekly report
contains data on rice prices in the U.S., Thailand and the EU.
It also lists current import duties and export subsidies in
the EU. All information will be published as such in the USDA
publication "Rice Market News".
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Proposed Danish Legislation for GM Co-existence
DENMARK, March 11, 2004 -- The Danish Minister of Food,
Agriculture and Fisheries has proposed legislation to regulate
the co-existence of genetically modified (GM) and
conventional/organic crops. The proposed legislation would
authorize the Minister to determine the mandatory distances
and time intervals between GM crops and conventional/organic
crops and would require that farmers obtain government
approval to plant GM crops. Under the proposal, farmers would
be required to pay DKK 60 (about 8 Euros) per GM crop hectare
per year into a compensation fund to be used to indemnify
farmers whose conventional/organic crops are damaged from GM
genetic drift. The proposed legislation faces an uncertain
future in the Danish Parliament, which is generally opposed to
GM crops and food production.
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Temporary Ban on Imports of U.S. Poultry Meat and Eggs
QATAR, March 11, 2004 -- Qatar imposed a temporary ban on
imports of all poultry meat and its products and all kinds of
eggs from the United States as of February 12, 2004, due to
the incidence of cases of Avian Influenza in the country.
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EU launches on-line helpdesk for developing countries
EUROPEAN UNION, March 11, 2004 -- The European Commission
has launched a new on-line helpdesk to facilitate developing
country access to EU markets. With the launch of this
helpdesk, the EU hopes to counter some of the criticism about
the damaging effect their market access policy has on
developing countries.
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EU Wine Labeling - Amended Rules
EUROPEAN UNION, March 11, 2004 -- On February 23, 2004, the
European Commission published a set of amendments to the wine
labeling regulation. In an effort to conform with its
international commitments under the TRIPs Agreement, the EU
has adopted new conditions for the use of traditional
expressions on wine labels by third countries.
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Annual
ARGENTINA, March 11, 2004 -- Wheat production is forecast
to increase slightly in Marketing Year (MY) 2004/05, up 6
percent from the previous marketing year. Total wheat
production is forecast at 14.3 million metric tons (MT). Corn,
rice, and sorghum are expected to remain stable. Production
for these commodities for MY 2005/06 is 12.5 million MT,
596,000 MT, and 2.1 million MT, respectively. Corn feed
domestic consumption is forecast to increase but should be
offset by a fall in non-feed consumption. Total MY 2004/05
domestic corn consumption is forecast at 4.1 million MT. Wheat
and wheat product exports are expected to continue increasing,
as are rice exports. Sorghum and corn exports, however, are
expected to be stable or down slightly.
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Rice Update
PERU, March 11, 2004 -- Rice production in 2004 is expected
to fall due to drought during the planting season. Post's
revised production estimate is 1.15 MMT for 2004, a reduction
of 28 percent compared to the previous year. Imports are now
forecast at 150,000 MT a significant increase compared to the
15,000 MT imported in 2003.
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Weekly Rice Update
VIETNAM, March 11, 2004 -- Prices firmed up further
especially for 25% broken rice that will be shipped to the
Philippines. Export volume for March is expected to be 450
thousand metric tons.
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