Thailand
Cambodia: Streamlining boosts farm exports
Cambodia’s agricultural exports to Asean countries was valued $1.2 billion in 2017, up 66 percent on a year earlier, Commerce Ministry figures show.
The rise comes amid streamlining of certificates of origin, issued before agricultural products are sent abroad.
Ministry spokesman Seang Thay said Thailand and Vietnam were the main markets for Cambodia.
“We export mostly cassava and maize to neighbouring countries like Thailand because most of those agricultural products are mostly planted near border areas, so that they are easily transported,” he said.
He expected that exports of agricultural products to neighbouring counties will increase in years to come, due to a new program in which the ministry has delegated issuing certificates of origin to provincial departments.
The ministry allowed the provincial commercial departments in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Palin and Oddor Meanchey provinces to issue the certificates to traders and producers.
Mr Thay said he expected that the move would make it easier for exporters and producers and increase exports of agricultural products to neighbouring countries.
“The four provinces have more agricultural plantations than other provinces, so we allow those provinces to do the job first, then we will allow provincial departments in Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmom to do the same thing,” Mr Thay said. “The move is to help exports at borders.
“Before the move, we also noticed that exports crossing borders had increased significantly, but we want to make it easier for traders and exporters at the border.
“There will be no need to come and apply for certificates at the ministry. We decided to allow the sub-national level to issue them instead,” Mr Thay said.
The move was also to curb the informal exports of agricultural products to neighbouring countries via unofficial border check-points, Mr Thay said.
Hun Lyhoeun, the director of Drycorpkh Cambodia, a cassava trading company in Battambang province, welcomed the move, saying it was the right response for traders and exporters based in the provinces.
“If the service will be right here in the provinces, it will be good for producers, exporters and traders to access the certificates for export,” Mr Lyhoeun said.
“If we save time in applying for the certificate, we are happy to increase our exports because we have buyers waiting for our products.”
Mr Lyhoeun, whose company exports cassava, maize, pumpkin, and fruit to Thailand, said it would build confidence among buyers for Cambodian products in term of supplies.
Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak said in February that Cambodia and Thailand had agreed to establish a working group to deal with trade on agricultural products from Cambodia, which have controversially faced bans from Thai traders in the harvesting season.
He said issuing country of origin certificates in provinces would be one of the actions to deal with the issues.
Source: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50115598/streamlining-boosts-farm-exports/