KAZAKHSTAN, REPUBLIC OF, August 13, 2004 -- Kazakhstan's MY2004/05 wheat production is forecast at 11.5 million metric tons (MMT) assuming normal weather conditions for the rest of the harvest. MY2004/05 wheat exports are forecast at 5.5 MMT due to high yields and lower ending stocks.

GERMANY, August 13, 2004 -- On July 26, 2004, the European Commission informed the German government about concerns the Commission has with the proposed German gentech law, which is still in the parliamentary approval process. The Commission complains that the German law is strongly biased to the advantage non-GMO producers.

TAIWAN, August 13, 2004 -- Overall, Taiwan remains a subdued market both for wood imports and for wood imports from the United States, with growth expected to average 4% over the coming 3-year period. This is due in large part to the shift of Taiwanese wood products manufacturing operations offshore and the return of the construction and remodeling sectors to moderate growth levels. Subsectors within the solid wood products sector that continue to hold particularly good prospects for US companies, however, include treated softwood and engineered wood products for home construction and public / recreational infrastructure enhancement. New construction codes recently approved and a fire code currently under review will open the market to much more extensive development of opportunities for use of structural wood in residential developments, townhouses, small office buildings, schools, and so on.

JAPAN, August 13, 2004 -- From America's largest overseas food and agricultural export market as translated from Japan's mass media and food industry news. This issue includes: Aeon plans to open one of the largest shopping complexes in Saitama Prefecture as early as 2006; The market size of jelly-type beverages reached at least 40 billion yen in 2003; Sapporo Beverage is to become the exclusive sales representative for Ocean Spray Cranberry products; Jyojyo-en will begin using a beef trace-back system ahead of the Beef Traceability Law's requirement in December and; New Zealand "Gold" kiwi sales increased by 70% in May.

JAPAN, August 13, 2004 -- From America's largest overseas food and agricultural export market as translated from Japan's mass media and food industry news. This issue includes: Reins International Inc., diversifies into the convenience store sector, to correct losses stemming from ongoing problems with the beef import ban in Japan; Beef bowl chain operator, Yoshinoya D&C, blames Japan's ban on beef imports for its first net loss in 24 years; A recent survey in Japan shows that while less than half of consumers check labels to make sure food is safe, slightly more than half are also concerned about food safety but can't figure out what is safe and; Nichirei plans to import organic chicken from French livestock company Bodyn and sell it in Japanese department stores at prices three times that of normal broiler prices.

BURMA, August 13, 2004 -- India took 69 percent and China took 14 percent of the total Burmese beans and pulses exports. Exports to China and Thailand are mostly through border trade. Trading activities are strong due to increased export activities and firm foreign exchange rate.

BURMA, August 13, 2004 -- Even though the rice export ban has not been officially lifted, 4,199 metric tons (mt) of paddy (unmilled rice) and 1,000 mt of rice were exported to Bangladesh via border trade. The Government of Burma (GOB) stated on 29 May that it would allow the export of all crops produced on large-scale farms operated by selected entrepreneurs.

BURMA, August 13, 2004 -- Burma exported 68,992 metric tons of beans and pulses in July, a decrease of 36 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. China, with 13 percent of the total exports, continues to be the second major buyer of Burma's beans and pulses after India.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF, August 13, 2004 -- Even with the sluggish local economy, wine imports in 2003 surpassed the record high of the previous year, growing 55.6 percent to reach $45.8 million. Imports from the U.S. also showed robust growth of 64.6 percent to an all-time high, $7.2 million. Changing consumer tastes and alcohol beverage consuming culture promise double-digit year-on-year growth for wine imports for many years to come. While the market presents growing opportunities to U.S. suppliers, the competition from both old and new world countries is also rising.

THAILAND, August 13, 2004 -- Export prices of non-fragrant rice continued to increase, mainly due to the aggressive shipment of parboiled rice

POLAND, August 13, 2004 -- Alcoholic beverage consumption in Poland has been steadily rising. Poland is the world's fourth largest consumer of vodka. The market for distilled spirits was highly protected by tariffs; however, Poland's May 1, 2004 accession to the European Union, tariffs have dramatically dropped. The United States has a large share in the whiskey and gin markets which continue to expand.

CARIBBEAN BASIN, August 13, 2004 -- Meeting the demands of development, maintenance and household decor is a challenge for local growers in most Caribbean countries. As a result, caribbean nurseries, landscaping companies and developers have turned to imports from the United States to supplement locally grown products. In 2003 U.S. exports of nursery products destined for the Caribbean totaled $4.4 million and are projected to rise; sales in the first three months of 2004 show a 40% increase over the same period in 2003.

COLOMBIA, August 13, 2004 -- Colombia will repeal the decree that increased the tariff on cotton imports from 10 to 20 percent on June 16, 2004. The new regulation to set the tariff at 10 percent once again will be issued shortly. The decision to reduce the tariff is part of an overall agreement on the minimum purchase price for local cotton production. The Colombian Government will provide a direct payment of 10 US cents per pound for local production.

VIETNAM, August 13, 2004 -- Vietnam is trying to limit rice exports to 3.5 million metric tons. It is unclear if Vietnam will take firm action to force rice exporters to comply with the export restriction. Exports of fragrant and glutinous rice are excluded from the 3.5 MMT limit. Nevertheless, it still limits fragrant and glutinous rice exports to 5,000 metric tons per month.

NEW ZEALAND, August 13, 2004 -- This report outlines regulatory requirements for food and agricultural imports into New Zealand, including labeling, packaging, food additives, and other import procedures. Significant updates have been made in the following sections: Section I - NZFSA, Section V - Maximum Residue Limits, Section VI - BSE-Related Import Requirements for U.S. beef products, Section VII - Food Produced using Gene Technology and Section VIII - Plant Variety Rights.

CHINA, PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF, August 13, 2004 -- China's retail food revolution has been rolling across the country for nearly a decade, replacing traditional wet markets and food stalls with modern hypermarkets, warehouse and convenience stores. At the same time, growing prosperity on the part of top-tier urban consumers has fueled both economic access and desire for high-quality imported food products. Improving distribution and logistics are making it possible for US exporters to supply this extremely competitive and rapidly expanding retail market in North China.