Cambodia's total export of milled rice via the single window office slightly increased by two per cent over the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Speaking at the Cambodian Rice Forum yesterday, Hean Vannhorn, deputy director general of the ministry and director of the single window secretariat, said the country exported 131,064 tonnes over the first nine months, compared to 128,368 tonnes in the same period last year.

He said the country’s total export of milled rice to the global market is below the plan, citing the limitation of the market which mainly demands fragrant milled rice.

“We have achieved only 20 per cent of the plan so it requires us to make a greater effort to seek suitable markets that are not so strict,” he said.

The country hopes to gain a bigger market share in African countries where restrictions on milled rice are more relaxed than other regions.

“We can export more milled rice to African countries because they consume normal rice and even broken milled rice,” he said.

The Cambodian government set up the single window department in late 2010 in order to expedite and facilitate the paperwork and increase milled rice export.

Lim Bun Heng, co-chairman of the government-private sector working group on rice, agreed that the speed of the export had been slowing down this year.

However, he raised no concern on whether or not the plan will be achieved.

“I don’t think it is a problem,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rann Reuy at [email protected]