Senior Thai and Australian officials convened in Bangkok for the 21st Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Expert Group meeting under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA).
The session marked a key milestone in advancing bilateral trade, advancing product standards, and promoting sustainable access for Thai agricultural goods in Australia.
A key agenda was Thailand’s proposal to broaden its cooked duck meat exports to Australia. Building on the successful 2023 launch of boneless cooked duck, the proposal includes duck fat, bone-in duck meat, and duck offal.
“This is a valuable opportunity for Thailand’s poultry sector to diversify its product range and increase export potential.”
He added that Australia may complete the approval process for duck fat imports by the yearend.
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Beyond poultry
Beyond poultry trade, the ACFS also addressed food safety cooperation, including biosecurity for international animal transport.
The meeting also highlighted progress on the Thailand-Australia electronic certification (E-Cert) exchange system, which aims to streamline exports and enhance transparency.
Another key topic was the development of a sustainable agriculture and food cooperation strategy, aligned with the European Union’s new Deforestation-Free Regulation. This initiative is seen as vital for enhancing the global competitiveness and economic value of Thai agricultural products.
“ACFS is committed to pursuing every opportunity to bring Thai agricultural products to global markets, grounded in safety, quality, and international standards,” Dr Pongthai remarked.
