Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Agri exports reach 2.82M tonnes by March 16: official

Agri exports reach 2.82M tonnes by March 16: official

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Exports of non-rice agricultural products reached 5.18 million tonnes last year, up 48.14 per cent year-on-year. BATTAMBANG INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

Agri exports reach 2.82M tonnes by March 16: official

Cambodia's agricultural exports this year have reached 2.82 million tonnes as of March 16, surging by over 22 per cent or about 511,000 tonnes year-on-year.

These numbers were revealed by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries director-general for Agriculture Ngin Chhay on March 18 at a press conference on the extent and effectiveness of utilisation of concessions under the bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) with China and South Korea, held at the Council of Ministers.

He listed the “important” agricultural products exported over the period as milled and paddy rice, cassava, cashew nuts, dried corn kernels, fresh bananas, mung beans, pomelos, fresh and dried mango, oil palm and peppercorn.

“While the growth of Cambodian agricultural exports to overseas markets has gained significant steam, there are still some major challenges in the implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary measures,” Chhay cautioned.

One such issue is a lack of supporting infrastructure for plant protection and phytosanitary research institutes and laboratories, and for the preservation and curation of scientific data, he said.

“Moreover, the infrastructure for cleaning, packaging and pest control does not yet meet the scale of production or exports,” he added.

Cambodia Rice Federation president Song Saran told The Post on March 20 that among Cambodia’s agricultural exports exported abroad, which had increased earlier this year, milled rice exports had increased significantly.

“In 2022, we will get more shipping containers into the EU than in 2021, but there are still challenges that we’re not yet well equipped to deal with, given the maritime transport situation.

“We expect that this year – at the pace we are going today – we’ll be able to increase our milled rice exports to 750,000 to 850,000 tonnes as planned,” he said. This would mark an increase over 2021 in the range of 21-38 per cent.

Tropicam Fruit and Vegetable Co Ltd CEO Hun Lak believes that overall rice exports are growing faster than for other agricultural products.

However, Lak highlighted two conundrums in the export market he said may become especially prevalent in the near future – the increasing difficulty of chartering a vessel and the spiralling costs of sending shipping containers – fuelled by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine that has sparked a surge in oil prices.

The recent upswing in reported Covid-19 metrics in China will most likely lead to significant headaches in Cambodia as well, disrupting the Kingdom’s agricultural exports to the East Asian country, he said.

“It’s become apparent that fresh mango exports are already in trouble, due to China’s lockdowns in response to the spread of Covid-19, and a considerable number of containers are unable to enter China from Vietnam, prompting Vietnamese traders to stop buying mangoes from Cambodia,” Lak said.

According to the National Sanitation Database, Cambodia exported 7.98 million tonnes of agricultural products to 68 countries and territories last year, up by 63.84 per cent or 3.11 million tonnes from 4.87 million tonnes in 2020.

Of that, milled rice exports topped 617,000 tonnes, down by 10.68 per cent year-on-year – from 690,829 tonnes according to CRF statistics. However, sales to “China” reached about 310,000 tonnes, up by seven per cent or around 20,000 tonnes year-on- year.

By comparison, local media outlet Fresh News cited CRF data as indicating that milled rice exports amounted to 617,069 tonnes, of which 50.19 per cent or 309,709 tonnes went to mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau.

Paddy exports to Vietnam reached about 3.53 million tonnes, an uptick of 1.34 million tonnes or 61.16 per cent from 2.19 million tonnes in 2020.

Exports of non-rice agricultural products reached 5.18 million tonnes, an increase of 1.68 million tonnes or 48.14 per cent compared to 2020.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to