C ASHEW nuts are being picked as a growth industry for Cambodia.

Cambodian farmers are said to be increasingly planting cashew trees, while larger joint ventures have planted several hundred hectares of them in Kampong Cham, Kompong Thom, Pursat and Kompong Chhnang provinces.

Import-export company Campexim said it had recently been approached by a Japanese company seeking to buy as many cashew nuts from Cambodia as it can get.

A company official estimated some 500 tons of cashews could be available, but Campexim would be unlikely to be able to buy it all.

There were many available markets for Cambodian cashews, and good prices were being offered, he said.