Hanoi (VNA) – Cambodia hastemporarily banned all imports of farmed fish from neighbouring countries inefforts to promote locally farmed fish, according to the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF).
The Khmer Times reported that the temporary banfollowed a meeting held at the ministry on January 8 together withrepresentatives of the Cambodian Aquaculture Association, fish vendors,importers, and exporters.
The MAFF imposed the ban following requests byfarmed fish breeders who said they are badly affected by the market beingflooded with smuggled farmed fish from neighbouring countries, which has led toa drop in prices for the domestically farmed fish.
The ministry said in a statement that farmedfish, especially catfish, giant snakehead fish and other farmed fish that canbe locally bred, are now temporarily banned from being imported fromneighbouring countries till further notice.
It has also asked the Cambodian AquacultureAssociation to collect in-depth data on the monthly total production of farmedfish, the types of fish supplied to the local market, and the monthlyconsumption figures.
The MAFF said it can get local vendors to buylocally produced farmed fish to supply for traders in the market.
Importers and exporters of farmed fish have alsoagreed to the ministry’s decision, the Khmer Times noted.
During his visit to a fish farming site lastweek, Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon said that fish production had increasednotably following the government’s call for more local food production to meetdomestic demand which will in turn reduce imports of farmed fish.
Sok Raden, President of the CambodianAquaculture Association, said the organisation has 200 fish farmers who arecapable and have the capacity to produce enough farmed fish to meet domesticdemand.
MAFF figures showed that the production offarmed fish reached 400,000 tonnes last year, while fish caught from naturallakes and the sea were 413,200 tonnes and 122,700 tonnes, respectively./.
The Khmer Times reported that the temporary banfollowed a meeting held at the ministry on January 8 together withrepresentatives of the Cambodian Aquaculture Association, fish vendors,importers, and exporters.
The MAFF imposed the ban following requests byfarmed fish breeders who said they are badly affected by the market beingflooded with smuggled farmed fish from neighbouring countries, which has led toa drop in prices for the domestically farmed fish.
The ministry said in a statement that farmedfish, especially catfish, giant snakehead fish and other farmed fish that canbe locally bred, are now temporarily banned from being imported fromneighbouring countries till further notice.
It has also asked the Cambodian AquacultureAssociation to collect in-depth data on the monthly total production of farmedfish, the types of fish supplied to the local market, and the monthlyconsumption figures.
The MAFF said it can get local vendors to buylocally produced farmed fish to supply for traders in the market.
Importers and exporters of farmed fish have alsoagreed to the ministry’s decision, the Khmer Times noted.
During his visit to a fish farming site lastweek, Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon said that fish production had increasednotably following the government’s call for more local food production to meetdomestic demand which will in turn reduce imports of farmed fish.
Sok Raden, President of the CambodianAquaculture Association, said the organisation has 200 fish farmers who arecapable and have the capacity to produce enough farmed fish to meet domesticdemand.
MAFF figures showed that the production offarmed fish reached 400,000 tonnes last year, while fish caught from naturallakes and the sea were 413,200 tonnes and 122,700 tonnes, respectively./.
VNA
