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Taiwan and Thailand exchange views on organic agricultural development and regulatory systems, working together to create business opportunities for organic agriproducts and food
Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives jointly held the “Taiwan-Thailand Online Forum on Regulations for Organic Products” in Taipei on September 21. About 150 representatives from the business, government, and academic sectors participated. The discussions encompassed various topics, including the status of organic agriculture development in Taiwan and Thailand, accreditation and certification systems for organic agriproducts, as well as regulations governing market circulation of organic agriproducts. The aim of the meeting was to promote trade and commercial opportunities for organic agriproducts and food from both countries.
The MOA states that Taiwan and Thailand signed the “Implementing Arrangement on Fisheries Cooperation” in 2003 and established the “Taiwan-Thailand Meeting on Agricultural Cooperation” platform. Through this platform, both sides have strengthened cooperation in agricultural trade, investment, and technology and deepened bilateral agricultural relations. This Forum was organized under the framework of this platform. The hope is that joint cooperation between the public and private sectors can be strengthened and partnership relations established. The Forum focused on exchanging information related to the laws, regulations, and management systems governing market circulation of organic agriproducts, as well as the expansion of exports in this sector. These dialogues have facilitated actions by industries in both parties to develop cooperative commercial opportunities and jointly promoted the flourishing development of organic agriculture.
The MOA points out that Taiwan is pro-actively promoting organic and environmentally friendly farming. The number of certified organic farms and the size of the organically cultivated land area have continued to grow year after year. Besides providing consumers with even safer agriproducts, this type of farming also ensures environmentally sustainable development. This most recent Taiwan-Thailand Forum concentrated on exchanges of views with respect to organic agriproduct and food policies, accreditation and certification systems, and sharing of relevant industrial laws and regulations. It had a positive impact for the development of organic industries in the two countries and for promotion of trade in organic agriproducts and food.
