Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Yesterday, on 17 May, in the capital, under the chairmanship of the Uzbek side, the first meeting of the heads of ministries and departments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states that interact in the field of plant quarantine was held in a hybrid format.

The meeting was convened at the initiative of the Uzbek side. It has become a new specialized mechanism for interaction in the field of ensuring phytosanitary security in the SCO space.

During the meeting, issues of cooperation in the field of plant quarantine were discussed in order to protect the territory of their states from the penetration of regulated pests, as well as to promote an increase in the turnover of agricultural products between member countries of the organization.

SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming noted in his address that appropriate cooperation in the SCO space in this area helps to prevent the spread of plant diseases and pests, creates favorable conditions for the elimination of technical barriers between different countries.

"Against this background, I welcome the creation of a new mechanism - the Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments of the SCO Member States in the field of plant quarantine," the SCO Secretary General said.

Within the framework of the Meeting, a draft Agreement between the authorized bodies of the SCO member states on cooperation in the field of plant quarantine was approved, Dunyo news agency reported.

The agreement is intended to create favorable conditions for a consistent increase in the volume of trade in agricultural products, ensuring food security, as well as the implementation of phytosanitary control measures. The document is planned to be signed as part of the upcoming meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO Member States in the city of Samarkand.