Discussions held on direct trade between Thai farmers, Maldivian businesses

Maldivian Minister of Economic Development, Mohamed Saeed and his Thai counterpart, Apiradi Tantraporn have discussed direct trade, with no intermediaries between Thai farmers and Maldivian businesses.

The ministerial meeting of the second Maldives-Thailand Joint Trade Committee Conference – scheduled for this Thursday, October 13 – had to be cancelled after Tantraporn had to had to make a premature return back to Thailand after the health of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej deteriorated further.

Minister Saeed and Tantraporn had discussed direct trade between Thai farmers and Maldivian businesses in unofficial talks before her premature return back to Thailand on Wednesday night.

Speaking to press at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport after seeing off Tantraporn, Saeed said that he and Tantraporn had discussed direct trade, instead of using brokers as was the current practice in the import of fruits and other food products from Thailand.

“Instead, we discussed facilitating direct trade from the farms, those who produced them. This is a great concession by the Thai government. This will lead to great conveniences,” said Saeed.

Before making her departure, Tantraporn said that there were various business fields that both countries could decide on mutually beneficial arrangements on – including the food industry, fisheries, and tourism.

She said that Maldives was very attractive for investments.

Other meetings of the Maldives-Thailand Joint Trade Committee will continue despite the cancellation of the ministerial meeting.

The two-day conference which began on October 12 is being held at Hotel Jen.

A special exhibition where the more than 30 Thai business leaders who have arrived for the conference will meet and mingle with Maldivian business leaders will also be held at Dharubaaruge later this Thursday.