Mexico and Canada agree to strengthen their bilateral agri-food agenda
The Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Julio Berdegué Sacristán, held his first bilateral meeting with the new Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Rural Economic Development of the Government of Canada, Kody Blois, who assumed office on March 14.
The main objective of this meeting—held virtually—was to jointly identify areas of opportunity to increase and diversify agricultural trade between Mexico and Canada, as well as to advance the cooperation agenda between the two countries on topics of interest to the agri-food sector, such as climate change adaptation and mitigation; research and innovation to address water challenges; and the exchange of technology and knowledge, with mutual visits by experts and researchers from both countries.
Likewise, a priority for both countries is the inclusion and trade facilitation of Indigenous peoples, or First Nations, as they are known in Canada, thereby generating shared well-being and prosperity for both peoples.
Secretary Berdegué shared that Canada is a reliable strategic partner to meet the domestic market's demand for strategic products; therefore, Mexico seeks to diversify the origin of its basic grain imports and promote direct marketing from Mexican producers to Canadian buyers, especially of fruits and vegetables.
For his part, Minister Blois emphasized that Mexico is a key partner for Canada and that the current situation represents a significant opportunity to deepen the bilateral relationship. He also indicated that one of his main priorities is to facilitate and streamline the trade of agricultural and food products by simplifying administrative procedures without jeopardizing health status.
In this regard, both officials agreed that the National Service for Agri-Food Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will continue working to strengthen collaboration on animal and plant health and the exchange of technical information necessary to open both markets to priority products of interest to each sister nation.
On the other hand, the federal secretary indicated that it would be in Mexico's interest, within the framework of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), to bring the productive sectors of both countries closer together and organize a meeting soon with representatives of the private sector (importers, exporters, producers, and investors) and the public sector of both countries to work on a joint collaboration agenda and identify new business and investment opportunities.
Secretary Berdegué was accompanied at this meeting by Santiago Arguello Campos, General Coordinator of Agricultural and Livestock Production, and Santiago Ruy Sánchez de Orellana, General Coordinator of International Affairs, among other agricultural public servants. The Canadian delegation was represented by Lawrence Hanson, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and Kathleen Donohue, Assistant Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
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