Korea to Strengthen "Agricultural Cooperation" with Brazil...Expected to Fully Launch Korean Agricultural Inputs into Latin American Market

Minister Song Miryeong Meets with Brazilian Minister of Agriculture and Livestock
Discussions on Expanding Cooperation in New Industries Including Food Security, Smart Agriculture, and Health Functional Foods
Plans for Korean Red Ginseng’s Entry into the Brazilian Market Also Discussed... "Request for Shorter Screening Period"

The governments of Korea and Brazil have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the agricultural sector, including food security, digital agriculture, agricultural machinery, and pesticides.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that on the 23rd in Seoul, Minister Song Miryeong held talks with Carlos Henrique Baqueta Favaro, Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, to discuss revising the agricultural cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) and concrete measures for bilateral agricultural cooperation, including food security and expanding exports of agricultural inputs.

Song Miryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (left), is meeting with Pavaro Carlos Enghiki Baceda, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil, in Seoul on the 23rd and taking a commemorative photo. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

This meeting was arranged to solidify Korea’s food security by cooperating with Brazil, a global agricultural powerhouse, on the occasion of the Korea-Brazil summit, and to fully launch the entry of Korean agricultural inputs, such as Korea’s smart agriculture technologies, agricultural machinery, and pesticides, into the Latin American market.

First, the two countries agreed to reorganize the Agricultural Cooperation Committee, which had stagnated since its signing in 2005, into a comprehensive cooperation platform covering food security, digital agriculture, agricultural machinery, pesticides, private investment, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. In particular, by shortening the committee’s meeting cycle from every other year to every year, they plan to establish a system for continuous communication and further strengthen the national food security system through a partnership with Brazil, a major global grain producer.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to strengthen practical cooperation with Brazil, the largest agricultural powerhouse in Latin America, based on the outstanding technological capabilities of Korean companies in areas such as smart farms, agricultural machinery, and pesticides. Through this, it is expected to create an opportunity to expand the export market for Korean agricultural inputs to the entire Latin American region.

In terms of expanding exports of K-food, in-depth discussions were held to accelerate the entry of Korean red ginseng into the Brazilian market. An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "Minister Song explained that Korean companies are experiencing difficulties in exporting because the review period of Brazil’s health authority (ANVISA) is long, and strongly requested expedited review and a shorter screening period," adding, "They also agreed to systematically manage major quarantine issues, such as exports of Korean grapes, within this newly reorganized framework of cooperation so that they comply with international standards."