UK and Thailand sign MoU for agricultural cooperation

Memorandum of Understanding Signed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the United Kingdom and the Ministry of Agricultural and Cooperatives (MOAC) of the Kingdom of Thailand.

• A signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UK and Thailand aims to enhance agricultural cooperation. 
• The MoU builds on the strong existing relationship between both countries. It sets out mutual goals and activities to strengthen the significant trade relationship in agri-food trade between the UK and Thailand. 
• This is an important step in improving agriculture relations and developing further collaboration between our two countries.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom (DEFRA) and the Ministry of Agricultural and Cooperatives of the Kingdom of Thailand (MOAC) agreed to build cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for agricultural cooperation. 

The signing ceremony took place on 7 February 2023 at the London based office of DEFRA. Representing the Departments at the ceremony were Lucy Smith, Director General for Strategy of DEFRA and Mr Prayoon Inskul, Permanent Secretary of MOAC. Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary of DEFRA was the signatory of the MoU alongside Mr Prayoon Inskul.

Both the UK and Thailand will benefit from exchanges of visits, information, technology and training, and will facilitate cooperation on matters of mutual interest and concern, discuss priority issues, encourage technical cooperation and promote agricultural trade and the reduction of non-tariff barriers. 

Discussions between DEFRA and MOAC were centered around; 

• The significance of the inaugural UK-Thailand Agriculture Dialogue, which sets out the three pillars of cooperation.
• Market Access Interests, focusing on the value of UK-Thailand trade in agricultural goods and the importance of our agri-trade relationship and highlight our interest in strengthening our agri-food trade. 
• Areas of interest for future cooperation, exploring further areas of interest for future collaboration. 

The MoU provides for continued strengthening of future cooperation between DEFRA and MOAC at the strategic and working level, focusing on promoting and encouraging cooperation in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, aquaculture, food processing, agricultural policy and the reciprocal advantages.

Source: GOV.UK