The Ministry of Agriculture, with the assistance of the experts from Thailand, is working on ways to improve our agriculture sector.

This was the highlight of a meeting between our Agriculture Minister, Inia Seruiratu, and a group of experts led by Thailand’s Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives General, Chatchai Sarikulya, yesterday.

The meeting follows after a Memorandum of Understanding signed in the past year to grow the Agriculture and Fisheries cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Seruiratu emphasised the agriculture sector will be looking at technical assistance in the areas of value addition and will be looking forward to the expertise provided by the Thai Government.

He said: “We have exchanged this morning the joint working group members. This will be the initial step taken by us.”

Mr Seruiratu confirmed the members of the joint working group from Fiji which will be comprised of the Crop and Livestock Council, the private sector and Government officials.

“We are looking at modernisation and the industrialisation of the agriculture sector and for that to happen, we need to rely on the expertise,” he said.

“Agriculture is an area that Government is looking at seriously and of course with assistance through this partnership, we will be looking at improving the agriculture sector.

“Most importantly as well the areas of trade, we hope that Fiji can become a hub for Thailand in terms of their investment and distribution.

“We look forward to getting more of our products into the Asian region so we can fully realise the potentials provided by these strategic linkages that will be opening soon.”

General Chatchai added they were very happy with the corporation and Thailand is happy to hold the first meeting of the working group following the MOU in Thailand.

He said: “We will use these subsequent meetings to corporate further as Thailand has expertise in line management and crop production while Fiji has expertise in coconut genetic development.

“Another crucial point that we have highlighted here today is two countries utilising each other as a hub.”

He stressed Fiji was the hub of the Pacific Islands and both countries can utlise each other as a distribution hub from now on.