Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has suggested that the country and Vietnam set up a bilateral cooperation mechanism in animal health.

With rotating annual meetings, such a mechanism would allow for the sharing of experience in disease management, prevention, and fighting as well as sanitary measures. 

The idea was put forward during a working session between representatives from the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand and the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) at the Thai ministry in Bangkok on August 18.

As demand in Vietnam for live pig imports from Thailand increases to satisfy domestic demand, Vietnamese authorities are calling on their Thai counterparts to devise policies to stabilise export volumes and prices.

They also requested relevant Thai agencies revise and strictly examine animal health conditions and breeding procedures before exporting to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese side also asked the DLD to arrange for inspections of certain farms sending pigs to Vietnam after mid-September, which a delegation from the Vietnamese Embassy will join and then report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

DLD representatives agreed on the suggestions from the Vietnamese Embassy, adding that Thai authorities would work with the embassy on the establishment of a bilateral cooperation mechanism shortly.

Thailand exported more than 100,000 live pigs worth THB781.8 million (US$24.7 million) to Vietnam between June 12 and August 13. Fifteen Thai businesses have met requirements for such exports, with nine having done so already.