INDIA, March 18, 2004 -- *India, Brazil, and South Africa review WTO farm talks*, *EU to protest India's ban on chicken & meat imports*, *Milk product imports restricted*, *Plan panel asks for projects on Transgenics*, *Bangladesh: National Biotechnology Institute to open in June*.

ARGENTINA, March 18, 2004 -- Through Resolution 244/2004 the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food has created the Biotechnology Office in order to organize and centralize the activities performed in the different biotech areas. Changes in the integration of the National Advisory Commission on Agricultural Biotechnology (CONABIA), the entity that evaluates biotech events, have been introduced as well.

TURKEY, March 18, 2004 -- The Turkish retail food sector is gradually recovering from the economic crisis of 2001. The size of the local retail food market is estimated to be USD 23 billion in 2003. The sector continues to modernize, though at a slower pace than in the past ten years. The arrival of new international chains has increased competition among the large retailers and companies are focusing more on higher returns per outlet rather than increasing the number of stores.

COSTA RICA, March 18, 2004 -- Costa Rica and the United States concluded negotiations under the U.S.-CAFTA agreement in January, 2004. Once the agreement is implemented, exports of U.S. agricultural products will become more competitive in this market as duties decline and remaining non-tariff barriers are expected to be eliminated or phased out.

THAILAND, March 18, 2004 -- Export prices increased noticeably due to a flash of strong demand from China.