Agriculture and fishing

USAID Cambodia officially launched its Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II project yesterday, a five-year initiative that aims to promote commercial horticulture in four Cambodian provinces and help smallholder farmers gain access to markets, reducing the country’s high dependence on imported fruits and vegetables. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday claimed that there had been no downstream impact on fish stocks as a result of the construction of the Don Sahong hydropower dam in Laos. ...

A centre to improve the standard and quality of agricultural products, especially vegetables, will be set up in Kandal province soon, the director of the provincial agriculture department said yesterday. ...

The state-run Rural Development Bank (RDB) received a total of 10 proposals from Cambodian agricultural firms expressing interest in developing rice storage and drying facilities across three provinces using government-backed low-interest loans, a bank official said yesterday. ...

For millennia, rice has been the backbone of Cambodia’s all-encompassing agricultural sector. But with global rice prices falling and neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam mobilising their vast resources and workforces to boost domestic production, experts say the crop that has underpinned the nation’s ...

A small community in Siem Reap province’s Chong Kneas commune is adamant about getting global recognition for their unique fermented fish paste, or prahoc, after the government endorsed a national standard for the most distinctive ingredient in Khmer cooking. ...

The Ministry of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese agricultural company to provide technical assistance in developing pig production in Cambodia. ...

Geographical indication status is being sought for Siem Reap prahok fish paste after the Industry Ministry granted approval for a national standard. Siem Reap prahok fish paste, made from fermented fish, is among many products in Cambodia that the government is working to get GI status. ...

The Ministry of Agriculture has alerted cassava farmers, traders, and importers about a new virus attacking cassava, instructing local authorities to work together with the industry to stem its spread. ...

The government has denied the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the agricultural sector amid persistent reports that some local farmers may already be cultivating genetically engineered “hybrid” seeds, warning that countries could restrict or ban the import of Cambodian agricultural products if use ...

The Cambodian Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture (Cedac), an organisation that supports local farming families and agricultural development projects, has seen strong interest in organic farming and expects to double the number of certified organic farmers and area under cultivation within a year. ...

A government project to boost the production of chemical-free vegetables has taken-off, with supplies already available in Cambodian markets, according to an Agriculture Ministry official. ...

Cambodia is keen to grow Japonica rice and the Ministry of Agriculture is currently conducting field trials to explore the possibility. “We are currently studying how Japonica rice can be grown in the country and it will take three to four years to know the full ...

China wants to import 300,000 tonnes of rubber from Cambodia by early next year, as the Cambodian government boosts its capacity for direct rubber exports to China. ...

The Ministry of Land Management has set up three working groups to allocate land plots to families in disputes with sugar companies in Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Preah Vihear provinces. ...

The Land Management Ministry on Wednesday announced a plan to resolve a yearslong land dispute between thousands of villagers and well-connected sugar barons by early next month, though not all affected communities were included. ...

Two new rice seeds – Japonica and Indica – would be introduced to Cambodian farmers in order to diversify the markets for Cambodian rice, according to a local media report. ...

Kampot pepper, a Cambodian product that got geographical indication (IG) certification from the European Union, is expected to yield 80 matrix tons for the markets by this year. ...

The Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction yesterday promised to settle land disputes between villagers and sugar companies granted economic land concessions in Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Preah Vihear provinces. Minister Chea Sophara made the promise after an inter-ministerial meeting at his office ...

Cambodia and New Zealand have reached a memorandum of understanding aimed at improving agricultural productivity to increase food safety and reduce reliance on imports. ...

Japan-based Kakegawa Yeat Pig Farm plans to invest $1 million to develop a large pig farm in Cambodia, according to local media reports. ...

A cabinet meeting on Friday amended several articles of the fisheries law to limit the use of narrow fishing nets and introduce licences for some mechanised equipment. ...

Rice millers in Battambang province are seeing red due to an erratic power supply affecting their production and causing them to lose money. ...

Japanese company Asian Gateway (Cambodia) will soon conduct a pilot project with a hydroponic farm in Cambodia. It will be tested at the Royal University of Agriculture (Chamkar Dong campus) in the first stage and after that will be used as a model for farmers and ...