Speaking to Khmer Times, Prof Dr Cheang Hong, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture Science at the Royal University of Agriculture of Cambodia, said China is one of the countries carrying out outstanding research in agriculture and cooperation in the sector would bring a lot of benefits to Cambodian farmers.

Based on research papers submitted every year, China is ranked first in the fields of agricultural resources and environment and agricultural information and engineering, management of various crops, livestock, veterinary medicine and agricultural produce processing.

“In agriculture, the number one challenge is low yield, especially while considering the connection between yields and climate. For instance, this year we are going to have an El Nino effect on our agriculture, which could bring down yields for all crops, adversely affecting the farmers.

“Most of the joint research focuses on creating high-yield varieties that can withstand climate changes and a large number of plant diseases caused by parasites, fungi and viruses,” the professor pointed out.

Elaborating further on joint research, Dr Cheang said: “At present, the joint research focuses on high yield and disease-resistant fruits and vegetables including banana and cassava. Of late, special emphasis is being given to plant protection and biotech areas.”

He asserted that the Cambodian-Chinese joint agricultural research is also important from a Chinese viewpoint as well since the Kingdom is one of the major suppliers of food and agricultural products to China.

Agriculture has remained one of the strongest pillars of the growing bilateral ties between Cambodia and China. China has emerged as the world’s biggest importer of Cambodian milled rice, now accounting for more than half the market share. In the first half of 2022, China bought 168,280 tonnes or 51.4 percent of Cambodia’s total milled-rice exports of 327,200 tonnes.

In 2019, Chinese authorities granted import permission to Cambodian bananas, making them the first Cambodian fresh fruit to receive market access to China. The growth has been driven by more Chinese companies investing in plantations and in the banana production and export infrastructure in Cambodia.

In early 2022, China completed the risk assessment of Cambodian Pra fish, sweet corn, and longan in addition to banana and mango, giving permission for these products to be shipped to China.

Until now, Cambodia has exported 27 kinds of agricultural products to China. The National Policy on Cassava 2020-2025 is a significant step towards developing Cambodia’s cassava industry and expanding its export market.

The new agreement was signed between Cambodia and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China to export 400,000 tonnes of dried cassava from March 2022 to March 2023.

In November 2022, the General Administration of Customs of China gave the go-ahead for Cambodian peppercorn exports to China after the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Peppercorns from Cambodia to China was signed by Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the General Administration of Customs of China.