Illustrative image (Source: baodatviet.vn) Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia has exported 540,000 tonnes of rice in 2016, up 0.7 percent from the previous year, but far below the target of one million tonnes set by the Government.
Hun Lak, Vice President of the Cambodia Rice Federation, attributed the low volume to difficulties, including lack of financial support and price competition with other regional countries.
Besides, low capacity in rice husking, transport and procurement, poor infrastructure and high production cost were reasons behind the country’s low volume of rice exports in two consecutive years.
Although China has doubled the import quota of Cambodia’s rice to 200,000 tonnes, it remains difficult for Cambodia to meet its target of one million tonnes in 2017.
Over 70 percent of the population of 15 million people in Cambodia are farmers whose rice cultivation mainly depends on rainwater. Cambodia’s rice-growing area is about three million hectares, accounting for 85 percent of total farming land.
Currently 85 private businesses operate in rice export. The country’s rice has been shipped to 65 countries, with China, France and Poland being the major importers.-VNA
VNA
