Agricultural Ministers Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation During Brazilian President Lula’s State Visit to the Republic of Korea

Sejong, 23 February 2026 — On 23 February, H.E. Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK), held a bilateral meeting in Seoul with H.E. Carlos Henrique Baqueta Fávaro, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of the Federative Republic of Brazil, on the occasion of the State Visit to the Republic of Korea by H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed practical measures to expand bilateral cooperation in agriculture. The discussions covered the revision of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on agricultural cooperation, as well as food security and the expansion of agricultural input exports. 

Held alongside the ROK–Brazil Summit, the bilateral meeting provided an opportunity for the ROK to strengthen its food security through cooperation with Brazil, a major global agricultural producer, and to promote the entry of Korean smart farming technologies and agricultural inputs, including agricultural machinery and agrochemicals, into Latin America and the Caribbean.  

The ROK and Brazil agreed to reorganise the Agricultural Cooperation Committee, established in 2005, into a platform for comprehensive cooperation encompassing food security, digital agriculture, agricultural machinery, pesticides, private sector investment, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. In particular, the two sides agreed to convene the Committee annually, rather than biennially, thereby establishing a more regular and structured mechanism for dialogue. Through strengthened partnership with Brazil, one of the world’s largest grain producers, the ROK aims to further reinforce its national food security framework.  

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) will seek to enhance substantive cooperation with Brazil by leveraging the technological expertise of Korean companies in areas such as smart farming, agricultural machinery, and agrochemicals. This is expected to contribute to the expansion of export opportunities for Korean agricultural inputs across the wider Latin American region.  

With regard to K-Food exports, the two ministers had in-depth discussions on facilitating the entry of Korean red ginseng into the Brazilian market. Minister Song noted that the lengthy review period by the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) posed challenges for Korean exporters and requested Brazil’s cooperation in expediting the relevant quarantine inspection procedures. The two sides also agreed to address key quarantine matters, including those related to the export of Korean grapes, in accordance with international standards within the framework of the reorganised Agricultural Cooperation Committee.