Farmers in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey provinces thanked the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and relevant authorities for their efforts to maintain an acceptable price on rice sold to traders.

“Now, rice farmers are busy with bringing their rice to sell at Treas commune at a reasonable price like they expected. So, therefore would like to thank his excellency and the department of agriculture for keeping their promise and not telling us lies,” said a woman in Treas commune of Svay Chek district in Banteay Meanchey province.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries on November 16 collaborated with the Green Trade Company, a state owned enterprise under the Ministry of Commerce that operates rice mills and is a large-scale rice purchaser, to introduce a standard minimum price to ensure the stability of commodity prices following a drop in the price of paddy rice in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey provinces.

Top-grade Phka Rumduol paddy is priced at a minimum of 1,040 riel (around $0.25) per kg when purchased by the Green Trade Company.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina on November 18 posted to social media showing pictures of big trucks loading rice bought from farmers. He said after the standard minimum price was introduced, farmers were happy to sell their rice at the set price while rice mills were busy again buying and collecting it.

“Our working team will continue to pay attention to ensuring that our farmers will not lose their profits for no reason,” Tina said.