South Korea aims to enhance cooperation with UAE in smart agriculture: Officials

Officials from the agricultural sector in the Republic of Korea have expressed their interest in collaborating with Middle Eastern countries in the field of smart agriculture and exporting agricultural products, starting with the UAE.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of a meeting organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of Korea with a delegation of Emirati and East Asian media representatives, the officials highlighted the UAE’s numerous advantages in enhancing the export of Korean agricultural products to the region.

They emphasised their aim to develop cooperation in smart agriculture, which seeks to achieve sustainable environmental efficiency.

Seung-ho Choi, Spokesperson, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Republic of Korea, said that his country looks forward to enhancing cooperation with the UAE in smart agriculture, which has the potential to accelerate and increase crop production in the face of global climate challenges, particularly in desert areas.

He explained that cooperation between the two countries in smart agriculture would allow for significant benefits from the vast data provided by this technology.

For his part, Kim Shinjae, Director of Korea National Food Cluster Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, underscored the importance of close cooperation with the UAE in exporting Korean agricultural products to the UAE market.

He noted the strong demand for Korean products in the UAE, which has contributed to increasing the country’s exports of fresh vegetables, fruits, and other food products.

Tae Hoon Kwon, CEO of Sangha-myeon Farm, stated that cooperation with the UAE has contributed to the recent growth of Korean farm exports to international markets, with ideal opportunities to access markets across the Middle East.

He added that the increasing demand for Korean agricultural products in the UAE and other regional markets serves as an incentive to boost production in local farms.

The Republic of Korea is among the UAE’s key trading partners both regionally and globally. Their cooperation spans multiple fields, including agriculture, energy, climate change, environment, infrastructure, trade, technology, and industry.

WAM