Minister of Agriculture Negotiates Expansion of Cooked Duck Market with Australia

Berlin: In a concerted effort to bolster Thailand's agricultural exports, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prof. Dr. Narumon Pinyosinwat, has engaged in discussions with her Australian counterpart, Ms. Julie Collins, in the Federal Republic of Germany. The discussions centered on expanding the market for Thai cooked duck products and enhancing bilateral cooperation under existing free trade agreements. According to Thai News Agency, Prof. Dr. Narumon emphasized the importance of expanding the export scope of Thai cooked duck products to include duck fat, processed cooked duck with bones, and processed duck offal. She highlighted that Australia is aware of these objectives and has committed to expediting the necessary processes to facilitate this expansion. During the discussions, Thailand expressed its willingness to cooperate with Australia and proposed organizing the meeting of the Thailand-Australia Joint Working Group on Agriculture. Additionally, meetings of the Thailand-Australia Expert Group on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Food Standards are planned for 2025. These initiatives aim to strengthen the agricultural ties between the two nations. Australia has shown a keen interest in enhancing collaboration under both the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) framework. This cooperation is anticipated to lead to a significant expansion of agricultural trade between Thailand and Australia, benefiting both countries' economies.