Commerce Ministry Enlists Germany to Boost Thailand's Smart Farming and AI Agriculture in New Era, Accelerates Thailand-EU Free Trade Agreement
Thailand and Germany discussed boosting cooperation in smart farming, agricultural AI, and chemicals during a Commerce Ministry meeting, with both nations pushing to accelerate their stalled free trade agreement negotiations.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of Commerce Wutthikrai Livireraphand revealed that he was assigned by Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supajee Suthathumphand to meet with Daniela Schmitt, Minister of Economics, Transport, Agriculture, and Wine for the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The meeting took place on April 21 at the Commerce Ministry to discuss trade, investment, and cooperation opportunities with a German business delegation visiting Thailand.
Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany's seventh-largest economy by GDP, with key exports including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, commercial vehicles, and wine. Both sides exchanged cooperation frameworks, particularly in smart farming, agricultural industrial technology, and artificial intelligence applications to enhance the agricultural sector.
The discussions also covered mutual benefits such as pairing Thai food industry products with Rhineland-Palatinate wines, and the chemical industry, where Thailand has potential and Rhineland-Palatinate hosts the headquarters of BASF, the world's leading chemical manufacturer. Both parties emphasized the importance of accelerating Thailand-EU free trade agreement negotiations, with Thailand requesting Germany's support for swift conclusion, which would benefit both sides and lead to concrete trade and investment expansion.
Thailand invited Germany to participate in trade promotion activities including THAIFEX-ANUGA Asia (May 26-30, 2026) and the Thai Pavilion at ANUGA 2027 in Cologne, Germany (October 2027). Germany ranks as Thailand's number one trading partner among EU member states, with 2025 trade valued at $11.6 billion—Thai exports at $5.73 billion and imports at $5.87 billion. Major Thai exports include computers, semiconductors, jewelry, circuit boards, machinery, and rubber products, while key imports are machinery, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electrical machinery, and scientific instruments.
