Agriculture and fishing
China rice deal gets more urgent
Cambodia’s need to secure China as a rice export destination is becoming increasingly urgent, with China’s multiple pending agreements with other countries in Southeast and South Asia, said industry insider David Van. ...
Igor Kossov
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14389/china-rice-deal-gets-more-urgent/
Koh Kong fishermen resume anti-sand-dredging campaign
As about 100 fishermen in Koh Kong province on Wednesday resumed their monthslong campaign against a company they accuse of illegal sand dredging, an environmental NGO claimed the firm was now hiring locals as security guards in an attempt to divide the community. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/koh-kong-fishermen-resume-anti-sand-dredging-campaign-91551/
Two-month haul shows uptick in illegal fishing
Cambodia’s river guards have reported confiscating more than 35,000 metres of gill nets, 21 boats and an assortment of homemade grenades during patrols in Mekong Irrawaddy Dolphin Sanctuary in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces between May and July. ...
Phak Seangly and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/two-month-haul-shows-uptick-illegal-fishing
Decline in price of rubber leaves farmers scrambling
For Sam Phat and her family, the decision 10 years ago to plant rubber trees on their hectare of land was an easy one. Because of booming demand, mostly from China, rubber prices were high, and the startup cost of planting trees was low. ...
James Reddick and Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14261/decline-in-price-of-rubber-leaves-farmers-scrambling/
Drought hitting rice farmers, risking target, Ministry says
More than 150,000 hectares of rice fields have been affected by a drought in some areas of the country, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, warning that the lack of rain, combined with labor shortages, could prevent the government from meeting its rice production goal ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/drought-hitting-rice-farmers-risking-target-ministry-says-91244/
Fish shortage stirs ethnic rivalry
Their boats began disappearing from the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers near Phnom Penh a few months ago, according to Cham fishing families still living in the area. By the weekend none were left, Cham fishermen told Khmer Times. ...
Chea Takihiro and Igor Kossov
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14223/fish-shortage-stirs-ethnic-rivalry/
Unrest over fishing clash continues in Kampot
Police say they have asked Vietnam to identify the Vietnamese trawler involved in a fatal clash last week with Cambodian fishermen, reversing their position that the death of a local man was an accident. ...
Matt Blomberg and Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unrest-over-fishing-clash-continues-in-kampot-90739/
Kampot peppers grow incomes -- for a few
Rising demand for Kampot Peppers is pushing a cultivation increase, but only a limited number of companies are benefiting. ...
Un Raksmey and Igor Kossov
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/14038/kampot-peppers-grow-incomes----for-a-few/
Politician blamed for water woes
More than 70 families in Siem Reap province have lodged complaints against a politician who they accuse of siphoning water from the Kulen Mountains to irrigate his pepper plantation. ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/politician-blamed-water-woes
Palm Sugar exports on the rise
Kampong Speu Palm Sugar Promotion Association (KSPSPA) is expecting to produce 300 tonnes for the upcoming season, which runs from December to May. ...
Xueying Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/palm-sugar-exports-rise
China holds $300 million in loan to Cambodia rice project
The government of China has put on hold a $300 million loan to a Cambodian rice project, aimed at developing storage and warehousing facilities in the country, as the government of Cambodia has not been able to meet the criteria set by the Chinese authorities, ...
Oryza News Staff
http://oryza.com/23369/china-holds-300-million-loan-cambodia-rice-project
Farmers try to cash in on cashews
Cambodian farmers want to grow more cashews in response to rising prices. But lack of information and resources is holding them back. ...
Un Raksmey and Igor Kossov
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/13835/farmers-try-to-cash-in-on-cashews/
Chinese loan for rice sector on hold
A project to build 10 warehouses to store rice paddy using Chinese funding has hit a roadblock, as the Cambodian government has been unable to meet criteria set by the Chinese for the project, according to an official associated with the project. ...
Sok Chan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/chinese-loan-rice-sector-hold
Rice federation to get $450,000 from ministry
The Cambodian Rice Federation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday to receive $450,000 in financial support from the government to increase Cambodia’s rice exports, according to a federation official. ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/rice-federation-to-get-450000-from-ministry-89665/
Cambodia may lose EU market share if EU-Vietnam bilateral FTA materializes, say experts
Cambodian rice exporters are worried of losing market share in the European Union (EU) market if the EU-Vietnam Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (EU-V BFTA) is finalized, according to local sources. ...
Oryza News Staff
http://oryza.com/23332/cambodia-may-lose-eu-market-share-if-eu-vietnam-bilateral-fta-materializes-say-exporters
Rice sector wary of EU-Vietnam deal
As Vietnam and the European Union reach the final stages of negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, giving Cambodia’s neighbour zero-duty exports to the economic bloc, local rice millers and exporters have expressed concerns that the deal could hurt the Kingdom’s rice exports. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rice-sector-wary-eu-vietnam-deal
Amid drought, farmers scuffle over water
Dozens of drought-hit farmers from two districts in Banteay Meanchey province scuffled on Saturday night after one group blocked a canal leading from a shared reservoir, preventing water from flowing to the other community. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/amid-drought-farmers-scuffle-over-water-89476/
Kingdom is prime for first slaughterhouse
Riding the wave of rising demand for beef in Asia, Cambodia’s long-awaited slaughterhouse could not come soon enough, with an emerging middle class in Cambodia also hungry for more premium meat from Down Under. ...
Xueying Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weekend/kingdom-prime-first-slaughterhouse
Soldiers monitor border-crossing Thai farmers
Thai farmers protected by armed Thai soldiers crossed the border in Banteay Meanchey province and spent Thursday plowing fields for rice cultivation, a military commander and district official said. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/soldiers-monitor-border-crossing-thai-farmers-89315/
Fishing busts up, penalties lag
The first half of 2015 has seen a nearly 50 per cent increase in illegal fishing busts, though the vast majority resulted in no punishment for offenders, a new report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries shows. ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fishing-busts-penalties-lag
Minister helps open controversial tycoon’s new rubber farm
Environment Minister Say Sam Al was in Preah Vihear province on Sunday to help inaugurate Try Pheap’s newest project, a $52-million rubber plantation and additional facilities that the timber magnate has cleared thousands of hectares of protected forest to build. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/minister-helps-open-controversial-tycoons-new-rubber-farm-88896/
Despite drought, crops will come – but at a cost
This year is no different from last year and many of the previous years for the residents of Krong Stung Sen in Kampong Thom province. Rain has been scarce, and rice growers must pay to pump water from the state-owned ditches into their rice paddies. ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/13457/despite-drought--crops-will-come-----but-at-a-cost/
Official, brother caught dealing toxic fertilizer
Authorities in Banteay Meanchey province seized more than $10,000 worth of illegal fertilizer from a government official and his brother on Tuesday, while the accused claimed they were targeted because the official who led the sting had family ties to the fertilizer trade. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/official-brother-caught-dealing-toxic-fertilizer-88546/
Clock ticks on rice harvest
As el niño continues to buffet Cambodia, the next two weeks could be crucial in determining whether the Kingdom will suffer from a smaller-than-usual rice harvest and potential food shortages, experts said yesterday. According to Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries general director So Khan ...
Sarah Taguiam
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/clock-ticks-rice-harvest