Season’s Bountiful Fish Catch Means Prahok Will Be Plentiful

20 January 2014
The Cambodia Daily
Agricultural policy and administration / Agriculture and fishing / Fishing, fisheries and aquaculture / Social development / The poor / Trade / Trade policy and regulation
Kompong Chhnang’s provincial fishery department

Last week marked the end of the annual fishing season and many who had gathered on the riverbanks to buy and sell fish in the Russei Keo district of Phnom Penh called it the best season in years. An abundance of fish, there were bargain prices to be had for trey riel, the fish used to make the much-loved pungent fermented paste—prahok. … Because of the large amount of fish caught during this season, prices were as low as 500 riel, about $0.12, per kg in some areas, said Seng Pun Chhoeurn, administrative chief of Kompong Chhnang’s provincial fishery department. Although official numbers for the total amount of fish caught during the first two weeks of 2014 have not yet been tallied, many officials believe that the numbers are even higher than December, which was already an increase on the same period in 2012. “Nearing the end of 2013, from October to December, we were able to catch 3,650 tons of fish, and compared to the same period in 2012, it has increased by 26 percent [995 tons],” Mr. Pun Chhoeurn said.

 Ben Sokhean and Malia Guyer-Stevens
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/seasons-bountiful-fish-catch-means-prahok-will-be-plentiful-50893/