ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, - Natural rubber, coffee, peas and beans, and tea have been included in a new ASEAN scheme to promote agriculture and forest products of ASEAN Member Countries.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the new 5-year scheme was signed on 28 October 1999 at the 21st Meeting of ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) in Bandar Seri Begawan. It supersedes the one signed in Langkawi on 25 August 1994.

The four new products are in addition to the 11 other products in the 1994 scheme. Thailand, Viet Nam, Myanmar, and Indonesia are the major exporters of natural rubber, coffee, peas and beans, and tea respectively.

(The other 11 products in the scheme are: carrageenan and other seaweeds, the Philippines is the major exporter; frozen chicken, Thailand; tapioca, Thailand; frozen prawn, Thailand; canned tuna, Thailand; canned pineapple, Thailand; palm oil, Malaysia; coconut oil, the Philippines; cocoa, Malaysia; forest products [timber and non-timber], Indonesia; and pepper, Indonesia.)

The scheme is aimed at improving the competitiveness of ASEAN agriculture and forestry products through joint efforts in negotiations, collective bargaining and addressing issues and problems encountered by Member Countries in the international markets. The scheme will also expand agriculture and forestry exports of Member Countries through product diversification, intensification of downstream processing and higher value added activity, as well as upgrade the quality of their products and maintain resources to ensure the sustainable supply of raw materials.

Moreover, the scheme shall establish guidelines for joint efforts to counter campaign against ASEAN products, joint negotiations to overcome discriminatory NTBs and unfair practices imposed by importing countries, and joint promotion of ASEAN products.

The scheme includes provisions for the enhancement of intra-ASEAN trade of these agriculture and forestry products, and the enhancement of competitiveness of the ASEAN products.

A Joint Committee shall be set up to coordinate the joint efforts envisaged in the scheme. The Joint Committee is comprised of representatives of Member Countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN-CCI, Industry Clubs and other relevant private sector representatives. It shall be chaired on rotational basis and meet in the Member Country hosting the annual AMAF Meeting.