The Permanent Secretary of Agriculture strengthened relations with Mie Prefecture, Japan, fostering cooperation in agricultural trade to promote exports of all varieties of pomelo and mango to the Japanese market.
On 16 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Winarot Subsonsuk, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, welcomed Mr. Yukitoshi Noro, Deputy Governor of Mie Prefecture, Japan, along with his delegation. Ms. Narumol Sanguanwong, Deputy Permanent Secretary, and representatives from related agencies including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension, Department of Cooperative Promotion, Department of Fisheries, Office of Agricultural Economics, and National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards also participated.
Mr. Winarot said this meeting provided an opportunity for the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to strengthen ties with Mie Prefecture, an important agricultural and food region in Japan. This expands cooperation closer at the provincial level beyond existing national-level collaborations under the Thailand-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), which cover economic, social, cultural, and trade dimensions.
Additionally, Mr. Yukitoshi Noro mentioned cooperation through fruit exchange, which the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives considers a good idea that could help expand the Thai fruit market in Japan. The Permanent Secretary tasked the Department of Agriculture and Department of Cooperative Promotion to discuss relevant details further.
Both sides agreed to coordinate and cooperate in promoting agricultural products of both countries and to support and facilitate agricultural trade between them, especially mandarin oranges, a signature fruit of Mie Prefecture, as well as all varieties of Thai pomelo and mango. Mie Prefecture expressed readiness to coordinate at the national level to support Thai pomelo and mango varieties entering the Japanese consumer market in the future.