Thailand hopes for more exports to Russia amid sanctions row
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Thailand will have more opportunity to export foodstuffs to Russia after the former superpower recently banned food imports from the United States and the European Union in retaliation against sanctions imposed on it, the Commerce Ministry says.
Chutima Bunyapraphasara, permanent secretary of the ministry, said that after negotiating with Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukaev, the government had asked for Russia to facilitate more imports from this country.
“Russia has shown high interest in importing foods and farm crops from Thailand after it banned imports from the EU and the US,” Chutima said. “Those products are mainly rice, poultry, rubber, seafood products, and pineapple.”
To increase exports, she said Thailand had asked Russia to relax sanitary requirements on plants and animals, and other regulations.
She said Russia had also invited Thailand to join the second subcommittee on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries in November to discuss ways to expand bilateral trade and investment.
She said Russia had shown an interest in discussing with Asean ways to support more trade growth and tighten cooperation on issues such as setting up trade-delegation missions, lowering non-tariff and other barriers, and working more closely on energy, tourism, and agriculture development.
Last month, Russia banned imports of beef, pork, poultry, milk and dairy products, vegetables, and fruit from the US, the EU, Canada, Australia and Norway.
According to the ministry, Thailand is Russia’s largest trading partner among Asean countries. Bilateral trade was valued at US$4.66 billion (Bt149 billion) last year.
Meanwhile, the Thai National Shippers Council (TNSC) urged the government to negotiate free-trade agreements with BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to increase trade opportunities among those emerging markets.
The council maintained its annualised export projection at 1.6 per cent this year because of concerns over high competitiveness, the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and low crop prices.
To promote export growth in the future, TNSC chairman Nopporn Thepsithar said Thailand should negotiate FTAs with BRICS countries in order to increase opportunities amid the rising use of non-tariff barriers globally.
BRICS nations account for a fourth of the world’s total population and have strong economic growth.
