Author: Hithaishi CB

Strengthening agricultural trade through market expansion and innovation Thailand’s Department of Agriculture and the Thai Ambassador to Seoul are intensifying efforts to enhance the export of high-value Thai agricultural products to South Korea. In a recent meeting with South Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), both sides discussed strategies to overcome trade barriers and expand market access for Thai fruits such as mangoes, pomelos, longans, and green papayas. Addressing Trade Barriers and SPS Measures The meeting, led by Rapibhat Chandarasrivongs, Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, and Tanee Sangrat, Thai Ambassador to Seoul, focused on tackling sanitary and phytosanitary…

Strengthening Research Collaboration on the Phitsanulok Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Project to Accelerate Science-Based Carbon Credit Generation Green Carbon Co., Ltd., which operates a nature-based carbon credit creation and sales business, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Naresuan University (NU), a national university in Thailand, to promote a greenhouse gas reduction project that utilizes intermittent irrigation (AWD: Alternate Wetting and Drying) (*1) in rice paddies in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. Strengthening scientific credibility and laying a foundation for scale-up are the objectives of the MOU. Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen the system for measuring, analyzing, and…

Government Boosts Agricultural Development with High-Impact Projects Under 12th and 13th Malaysia Plans A total of RM33mil has been approved under the 13th Malaysia Plan to implement high-impact agricultural projects from 2026 to 2030, says Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin. The government has committed significant funding to bolster agricultural development and food security through various high-impact initiatives under the 12th and 13th Malaysia Plans. These efforts aim to enhance food production, improve infrastructure, and support sustainable agricultural practices across the country. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin announced that RM33 million…

To strengthen the development of high-standard farmland and capacity-building for the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued an implementation plan, detailing measures to promote agricultural modernization and rural revitalization. The plan outlined measures to ensure stable production of grain and edible oil, modernize the livestock sector, foster high-quality growth in fisheries, secure output of key commercial crops such as cotton, sugar, rubber, fruit and vegetables, and develop a diversified food supply system. Efforts are also made to strengthen the development of high-standard farmland and capacity-building for the prevention and mitigation of natural…

The sustainable technology behind Quillibrium® delivers consistent, high‑quality extracts without the need to harvest protected trees, thus preserving biodiversity while ensuring a reliable supply. Syngenta and Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI) have expanded their exclusive agreement to bring Quillibrium®, a botanical‑based biofungicide derived from Quillaja saponaria using BSI’s proprietary plant tissue culture platform, to more growers across the Americas, starting with Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Innovation often begins by observing nature and drawing inspiration from it, a wisdom deeply rooted in the ancient Mapuche culture of Chile. Known and used for centuries, the Mapuche have traditionally utilized the bark’s…

Provides actionable insights to protect product quality, reduce waste and better preserve consumer safety bioMérieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, announces the launch of SMARTBIOME™, an innovative solution designed to help food manufacturers better understand, control and prevent microbiological spoilage. By combining high‑precision DNA sequencing, advanced bioinformatics and bioMérieux’s microbiology expertise, SMARTBIOME™ provides actionable insights to protect product quality, reduce waste and better preserve consumer safety. Every year, microbial spoilage contributes significantly to food waste and quality losses across the global food industry. Scientific estimates indicate that 15–20% of food is wasted after production, and part of…

Industry 4.0 digital innovation accelerated through NTT DATA’s Private 5G Network secure, scalable connectivity Cargill, the global food, agricultural and industrial leader, is transforming operations across its manufacturing and processing facilities through the successful deployment of NTT DATA’s Private 5G network across 50 sites globally. The initiative is enabling a connected workplace strategy and supports the deployment of robotics, with additional sites planned for completion in 2026. Operating across large-scale agricultural processing plants, food manufacturing facilities and industrial sites, Cargill requires secure, scalable connectivity that can be rapidly deployed where traditional network infrastructure is impractical. NTT DATA, a global leader…

CIDO will centralize coffee programs, funding and policies that were previously scattered across multiple units, giving the crop its first true headquarters Philippines Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered the creation of a dedicated Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO), signaling a major shift in how the government manages the struggling sector. Under the order, the new office will sit under the Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Official Development Assistance (ODA), now headed by Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros. CIDO will centralize coffee programs, funding and policies that were previously scattered across multiple units,…

US will eliminate tariffs on key Indonesian products including palm oil, rubber, coffee, cacao, spices Indonesia and the United States (US) have concluded a landmark trade agreement under which Washington will maintain a 19 % reciprocal tariff rate on Indonesian imports. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and US President Donald Trump signed a document on Friday 20th Feb 2026, confirming their strong commitment to implementing the agreement. Under the deal, the White House said Indonesia has agreed to eliminate tariff barriers on over 99 % of US exports across all sectors, including agricultural and health products, seafood, ICT goods, automotive products,…

To provide accurate and timely information for agriculture and forestry development plans, particularly in gathering agricultural statistics, could greatly benefit Laos and other ASEAN member countries. Lao and Japanese agricultural experts have discussed the use of satellites in rice farming and the evaluation of rice harvests in Laos using space-based technologies. The application of satellite technology is an efficient way to assess rice planting areas, cut costs, and gather useful data. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries partnered with Laos’ Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to organise a workshop on the topic. The workshop took place in Vientiane on…