Duty-Free Sugar Exports to EU Hit $13 Million

The European Union (E.U.) last year continued to import millions of dollars worth of duty-free sugar from Cambodian plantations that have forced hundreds of families off their land despite calls from European lawmakers for the trade benefits to end, according to the latest E.U. data. Thailand’s Khon Kaen Sugar, which holds the majority share in two plantations in Koh Kong province, signed a five year [agreement] with the U.K firm Tate & Lyle for all its Cambodian and Lao sugar in 2009. Through Tate & Lyle, the Thai firm has been exporting the sugar to the U.K duty free since 2010 thanks to the E.U.’s Everything But Arms (EBA) trade scheme for developing countries. According to new E.U. trade data released yesterday, 15.5 million kg of Cambodian sugar –worth nearly 10 million euro, or about $13 million- made it to the E.U in 2012. Details of the sugar’s final destination with the E.U. were not immediately available. But the 10 million kg of Cambodian sugar imported by E.U. in 2010, and the 22.5 million kg imported in 2011, all went to the U.K as part of Khon Kaen’s deal with Tate & Lyle. … Hundreds of families say the two plantations, totaling 20,000 hectares spread across Sre Ambel and Botum Sakor districts, started forcing them off their farms or out of their homes in 2007. … Though a few of the families have dropped out of the court case in recent months in exchange for $2000 to $3000 payouts from Senator and business tycoon Ly Yong Phat, who used to own a minority stake in the two plantations, most have held firm. …

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/duty-free-sugar-exports-to-eu-hit-13-million-18114/