Author: Editorial Desk

Korea’s Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo has urged Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members to embrace open plurilateralism and strengthen collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy to address growing challenges in the global economy. Speaking at the APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Gyeongju on Thursday, Yeo highlighted the region’s central role in global trade and production, noting that APEC economies account for 61% of global GDP and 49% of world trade. “Amid profound shifts in the global economy, there is no better time than now to rekindle the spirit of openness and cooperation,” he said. The two-day ministerial meeting serves…

The European Union and Ukraine have reached a new agreement under the review of their Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), significantly expanding agricultural and poultry trade between the two sides. Under the revised terms, Ukraine’s poultry export quota to the EU will increase by one-third, from 90,000 tons to 120,000 tons annually, while its egg export quota will triple from 6,000 to 18,000 tons. In return, Ukraine will permit duty-free imports of up to 120,000 tons of poultry meat per year, a sharp rise from the previous 20,000-ton limit. The European Council stated that market access for sensitive…

The Iraqi Dates Festival and Exhibition opened today at the Baghdad International Fairgrounds, highlighting Iraq’s growing prominence as a global producer and exporter of dates. The three-day event, jointly organized by the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce, aims to enhance the economic value of one of Iraq’s most culturally significant crops. Hussein Al-Wasiti, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Agricultural Affairs, stated that the number of palm trees in Iraq has increased dramatically from 7 million in 2003 to more than 22 million today. As a result, Iraq’s date exports have surpassed 500,000…

World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has called for immediate reforms to modernize the 30-year-old institution and enhance its ability to address evolving global trade challenges. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh on Tuesday, Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO’s consensus-based decision-making system, which requires agreement from all 166 member nations, has slowed progress and limited the organization’s capacity to respond effectively to rapid global economic changes. “We need to reform the system; we cannot be complacent,” she said, stressing the need to revisit existing processes. “We need to reform some of the ways we do…

The Indian government is transforming its ports into centers for green hydrogen export and production. Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated this during the India Maritime Week (IMW) in Mumbai on Tuesday. Sonowal said more than 12 million tons of green hydrogen-based e-fuel capacity has been announced nationwide. “Our ports are evolving into centers of green hydrogen production, bunkering, and export,” he stated. “With a strategic position along key global trade routes, India is well-placed to emerge as a hub for green shipping corridors, connecting domestic and international markets through clean energy trade,” he added. Vijay Kumar,…

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the foreign trade arm of India’s Commerce Ministry, has launched a pilot project for Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu, a digital single-window platform designed to integrate testing and inspection agencies across the country. The initiative aims to streamline the certification process for export and import consignments by enabling faster, paperless, and more transparent procedures. According to a DGFT trade notice issued on Monday, the pilot phase of the Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu platform will begin on November 4. Exporters and importers are able to start submitting applications for product and commodity testing…

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have signed an upgraded version of their free trade agreement, expanding cooperation to include the digital and green economies as well as emerging industries. The signing took place during an ASEAN leaders’ summit in Malaysia, marking the launch of what both sides call the ‘3.0 version’ of the pact. The 11-member ASEAN bloc remains China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $771 billion in 2023. Negotiations for the upgraded deal began in November 2022 and concluded in May this year, shortly after the United States, under President Donald Trump, imposed…

What began as a vision to modernize Bangladesh’s agricultural infrastructure has evolved into one of South Asia’s most respected integrated agribusiness and cold-chain enterprises. Founded by visionary entrepreneur Mr. Salim Chowdhury, Europa Group has redefined the nation’s food preservation and export landscape since the establishment of Europa Cold Storage in 1992. In the early 1990s, when cold-chain logistics were still in their infancy, Mr. Chowdhury identified a crucial gap between agricultural production and post-harvest storage. To address this, he built a landmark cold storage facility in Mansurganj, near Dhaka, the heart of Bangladesh’s largest potato-growing region. With a capacity of…

Vietnam’s inaugural Autumn Fair 2025, the largest event of its kind, officially commenced on October 25 at the Vietnam Exposition Centre (VEC) in Hanoi. Spanning more than 130,000 square meters, the fair features distinctive products from 34 provinces and cities across the country, aiming to strengthen business connections, develop supply chains, and boost domestic consumption. Running from October 25 to November 4, the national-scale fair is recognized for its six outstanding features: the largest scale, most modern space, most diverse product range, highest quality, most attractive activities, and best promotional offers. At the fair, Nguyen Anh Nguyet, owner of the…

It has now been fifteen days since the trade routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan were closed, disrupting the movement of goods and severely affecting trade on both sides. Afghan traders report that the shutdown has led to millions of dollars in direct and indirect losses. In response to the ongoing challenges, including the suspension of Afghan goods transit through Pakistan’s Karachi port, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has announced measures to develop alternative trade routes. Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce, stated that the initiative aims to support Afghan farmers, traders, and…