New requirements for registration of foreign food producers that are allowed to export food to China changed January 1. China’s Order No. 248 expanded the scope of food products subject to registration requirements to all foreign made food products. New labeling rules require all food products imported into China to include the registration number on the label of the inner and outer packaging of the food products.

Indonesia plans to introduce new trade controls on imported processed foods, including an updated application process and mandatory shelf-life requirements.

India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) approved hemp seeds and related products for use as food, opening the door to a variety of foods beyond powders, seeds, and oil.

In a newly created position, Travis Wells will serve as the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) Protection Officer North America. He will be identifying and advising companies that are making unsubstantiated claims regarding GOTS signage. A GOTS claim on finished products guarantees the consumer that every single step in the textile processing supply chain was certified. As soon as one stage in the supply chain is not certified, a company may not label or mention GOTS on their final product.

A new strategic plan from Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) aims to contribute a cumulative NZ$4.7 billion to New Zealand's GDP by 2030 while reducing climate and environmental pollution. Key components of the strategy include uplifting indigenous food production methods; addressing big environmental issues by building soil fertility, reversing ecosystem damage, sequestering carbon, and providing habitat for threatened species; advocating for the implementation of the Organic Products Bill; and improving access to international markets. Fifty-eight percent of New Zealand’s organic production is exported, primarily to the US, China, Europe, Australia and Japan. New Zealand’s organics market was worth NZ$723 million in 2020, compared to NZ$600 million in 2017, with an average growth rate of 6.4 percent per year over those three years. Global sales grew at around 9 percent per year in the same timeframe. Organic dairy is the largest organic sector for New Zealand, with exports of NZ$153.8 million, up 55 percent from 2017.

Products sold in China must have labels in simplified Chinese, and food labels must go through Customs clearance. Preparing labels in advance can help ensure smooth processing. Market entry strategy also offers some options, as foreign bands can choose to establish a business in China or use an importer to represent their brand. In addition, brands can choose two different retail structures: General Trade (which allows online and in-store sales) and Cross-boarder E-Commerce (which is online only). 

Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency offers useful information in multiple languages for consumers about food labeling requirements. Designed primarily for people with allergies, the pamphlets cover best by and use by dates, ingredient listings, and nutrition data for packaged products. The same web page also includes guidance for industry.

New regulations for food labeling in Taiwan have clarified mandatory information for each minimum sales unit, and allow for electronic methods of including this information. Mandatory information includes: Product name, expiration date, name and phone number of responsible local company, country of origin, origin of raw materials as regulations specify, and food safety reminders. Use of QR codes or other electronic methods have also been approved for information beyond product name and expiration date, which must be on the label. Products that are unidentifiable as from a specific brand/manufacturer, or not fully sealed, or not individually packed for retail sales will not qualify as a minimum sales unit.

In April 2021, Sri Lanka’s president announced that the country would switch to only organic farming methods in an effort to curb chronic health problems and ecological destruction from agrochemicals. Part of that effort included banning the import of chemical fertilizers, which has led to pesticide and fertilizer hoarding and black market sales. About 27 percent of the economically active population is involved in agriculture, and only 2.8 percent of Sri Lanka’s agricultural land is certified organic.