The Cambodian government has provided some 37,538 hectares of land concessions for agro-industrial crops and trees to seven companies via agreements signed last week, an official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Monday. Hong Narith, chief of cabinet at the ministry, said the government was pleased with the move, which involves both local and foreign companies. The land concessions are spread across six provinces, with four of the seven agreements slated for growing rubber, Cambodia’s second-most lucrative crop after rice. The government provided 124,000 hectares of land to 19 companies in concessions last year. Of the more than 1.3 million hectares granted between 1993 and 2009, only about 957,000 hectares remain under valid contracts. The rest have been officially cancelled, according to the ministry. soeun say