Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, with Wang Wentian, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia, during the ceremony. Ministry of Agriculture
Cambodia yesterday launched the official ceremony of Palin longan exports to China, making the third fresh fruits exports from the Kingdom to China.
Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries; Wang Wentian, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia; officials, representatives from exporting firms and agricultural cooperatives attended the launching ceremony.
Longan fruits from 74 plantations are allowed to be exported to China under the formal channel and eight companies are licensed to package the commodity for export to China, the ministry said.
Tina attributed the formal export of longan to China to the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, which has contributed to the development of agriculture, increase farmers’ income, and particularly boost economic and social development. The achievement of the formal export of Palin longan to China is a forward step for Cambodia, he said at the ceremony. “It is a new achievement resulting from the comprehensive strategic partnership cooperation between Cambodia and China, which has contributed significantly to agricultural sector development in Cambodia,” he said.
“Soon, Cambodia will negotiate to develop phytosanitary protocols for more kinds of Cambodian fruits exported to China,” Tina added.
Currently, Cambodia exports two fresh mango fruits –- banana and mango –- to China.
China is Cambodia’s biggest milled rice market, purchasing 198,107 tons, or 44.09 percent, of the kingdom’s total export amount in the January-September period.
Wentian attributed the cooperation between China and Cambodia, contributing to the development of the agriculture sector in the Kingdom.
“Today, we celebrate the launching ceremony to mark the Cambodian Palin longan export to China successfully. This is another remarkable achievement of agricultural cooperation between China and Cambodia after the Covid-19 crisis,” Wentian said.
Palin longan fruit is one among corn and ‘Pra’ fish allowed to export to China this year, he said.
China Jinkwoayuan Import Export (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. was the first company to export Cambodian fresh longan to China.
The first batch of 13 containers with 338 tons of fresh longan is being shipped to Guangzhou city through the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, the company said, adding that the shipment is expected to reach the seaport of Guangzhou city in southern China’s Guangdong Province within five days.
Sous Siyath, president of Pailin Longan Association, said that farmers have strengthened farming following the good agricultural practice standard advised by the ministry.
Farmers are placing high hopes on fruits exported to China as it would raise the price of the commodity to farmers, Siyath told Khmer Times.
“We expect our longan to be shipped directly to China, securing the market with stable price,” Siyath said. Currently, Cambodia’s longan plantations are spread across 13,608 hectares in 14 provinces including Pailin, Battambang, Ratanakkiri and Banteay Meanchey.
The cultivated area of longan is 6,927 hectares, which will provide 110,000 tons in 2021.
Source: Khmer Times