Phnom Penh (VNA) - Heavy rain has disrupted Kampot-Kep salt production of Cambodia, causing drop of more than 90% compared to last year.
Production is expected to reach only between 18,000 and 20,000 tonnes due to rain reducing the time available for production and harvesting, said Bun Narin, President of the Kampot-Kep Salt Geographical Indication Producers Association.
March to April is the full time for salt harvesting, but in March, there was a sudden rain in a day that disrupted the production for a week and 10 days, he said, adding that in April, it rained continuously, so the association decided to finish the harvest by the end of April.
Despite the challenge in salt production, there is enough salt for people to eat. The country has more than 50,000 tonnes of salt in storage from last year.
Narin said a fair salt price is 10,000 KHR (2.5 USD) per 50kg, enough to support farmers' livelihoods and their children's education. However, prices fall to 5,000 KHR during harvest and only rise to 8,000–9,000 KHR afterward.
He said salt prices are rising due to a low harvest. He predicts that the price will continue to increase slightly in coming months.
Kampot and Kep salt were officially recognised as a Geographical Indication (GI) by the Ministry of Commerce on April 26, 2023./.
