Desk Report:
A significant meeting has been held between Bangladesh and New Zealand to discuss agriculture, food security, technology exchange and trade expansion. The meeting was held at the Ministry for Primary Industries in Wellington, New Zealand on Wednesday (12 August 2026).
A Bangladesh delegation led by Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce Md. Ataur Rahman Khan participated in a meeting with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The meeting discussed increasing trade in agriculture and food products between the two countries as well as various possibilities for future cooperation. Diana Reich, Head of Bilateral and International Trade Affairs of the Ministry for Primary Industries, represented New Zealand.
Bangladesh praised New Zealand’s advanced biosecurity measures, ensuring food safety and managing the export of agricultural products to the international market. At the same time, the need for closer cooperation between the two countries was emphasized, highlighting Bangladesh’s food security, agricultural development and growing consumer market.
The discussion discussed opportunities for joint investment between Bangladesh and New Zealand in agricultural technology, dairy industry, cold chain management and agro-based processing industries. New Zealand’s agricultural and food technology companies were invited to invest in Bangladesh by utilizing Bangladesh’s large consumer market and special economic zones.
The meeting also discussed facilitating the entry of agricultural products, fresh fruits, processed foods and other products from Bangladesh into the New Zealand market. In this regard, emphasis was placed on expanding trade through Import Health Standards (IHS), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Mutual Recognition Agreement of product quality and capacity building of stakeholders.
Bangladesh expressed its expectation for New Zealand’s technical cooperation in establishing advanced food testing labs, enhancing technical capacity, pesticide residue testing, removing trade barriers and electronic phytosanitary certification (e-Phyto) system.
The meeting discussed further organizing areas of future cooperation in the context of the possibility of negotiating a Bangladesh-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA). New Zealand’s support for Bangladesh’s accession to the Regional Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and the extension of the transition period for another three years to make the transition from LDC more seamless were emphasized. The establishment of a business forum between the two countries, the formation of a technical working group between the relevant agencies, the designation of specific focal points for communication and regular exchange of information were proposed.
The Bangladesh delegation expressed its hope that this cooperation would further strengthen the agricultural, food processing and trade relations between the two countries in the future and create new opportunities for mutual economic development.
