The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Forestry of Cambodia has set a new concept aiming to promote agricultural production, keep prices stable and increase value-added potential products for exports.

In a press conference at the Government Spokesman Unit yesterday, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia Dith Tina said that the new concept is designed to keep price stability for local agricultural production without affecting producers and consumers.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia wishes to see growth for all actors in the production chain, he said, adding that neglecting or not giving importance to any of the actors will lead to the whole production chain being stuck and in trouble.

“The Cambodia’s ministry will have a new responsibility to set up a more efficient agricultural production system, ensuring that prices do not rise or fall by dividing profits evenly for both consumers and distributors,” Tina said.

The Cambodia’s ministry plans to exploit the agricultural potential in line with Cambodia’s naturally favourable conditions and distribute it equitably along the entire production chain, from production to final consumers.

For export, based on the concept, the ministry’s strategy is to promote the export of high-quality and high-selling products, he said. With Cambodia having high-quality products, it should focus on strengthening this excellence for competition.

“In the future, Cambodia will focus on high-quality production, even if exports are low but high profits,” Tina said.

Cambodia has some potential agricultural products which are of good quality and premium products than other countries.

Kampot pepper, rubber, fragrant rice, and cashew nut among other agricultural products are premium products from Cambodia.

“In the future, Cambodia’s production will be profit-oriented. The ministry will not force production but focus on moderation. Cambodian farmers will have the option to check whether to choose the production for local or export,” Tina said.

Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen has insisted on increasing exports on the spot (local products), not just cross-border exports.

He has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia to work together to make tourism a market for farmers, and product makers.

Cambodians have many opportunities to feed and meet the demands of international tourists who are gradually returning to Cambodia, along with millions of domestic tourists, he said.

“Our farmers can grow crops and livestock and bring them to hotels for foreign tourists to eat at that place,” he said.

Cambodia exported a total of 8.2 million tons of agricultural products to foreign markets in the January-November of this year, the ministry’s report showed.

China is the biggest market for the Kingdom’s agricultural product with 689,702 tons in the period, followed by the European market with 186,897 tons, the report said.

The agricultural products shipped to China are bananas, milled rice, cassava, fresh and processed mango, corn, fresh and processed cashew nut, tobacco, and pepper.

The shipped agricultural products, mostly raw materials, to most of the Asian region at 4.2 million tons and other destinations at 70,196 tons.