Electrical equipment exports, including machinery and mechanical appliances from Cambodia, were valued at nearly $265 million in the first four months of the year.

This is an increase of more than 33 per cent from the same period last year, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

Export data from the ministry obtained by The Post last week shows that the total value was $264.89 million – up from $198.51 million in the same period last year. The largest importers are Thailand, China, Japan and the US.

The data showed that the volume amounted to a total of 27,273 tonnes. The devices included insulated diodes, transistors, air or vacuum pumps, electric motors and generators, and appliances with self-contained electric motors and integrated circuits.

Ministry of Commerce spokesman Pen Sovicheat told The Post on Sunday that although the world was experiencing a Covid-19 pandemic, Cambodia-made exports in the sector were not affected like the garment and textile sectors, although most export destinations are under lockdown.

“Overall, the export of electronic components is to supply enterprises and factories overseas that have contracts to buy components or have rented factories in Cambodia to manufacture these components for themselves.

“Our manufacturing plants have already been contracted to continue production and export activities normally,” Sovicheat said

He said investment in the sector in Cambodia is expected to grow as the government has a strategy to promote the assembly and components industries as part of its Industrial Development Policy.

“The government encourages more investment in the fields that bring technology transfer and innovation to improve the skills of our workers in Industry 4.0,” he said.

Cambodia Chamber of Commerce vice-president Lim Heng said the attractiveness of Cambodia’s investment policy and the escalation of trade disputes between China and the US caused the two countries to raise taxes on imported goods from each other. This provided an opportunity for the Kingdom to attract investors.

“I am confident that Cambodia’s investment and exports in all sectors will continue to grow gradually in the future,” he said.