Japan plans to export fresh mangoes from Cambodia

Japan plans to export fresh mangoes from Cambodia as it pledges technical assistance to help agricultural development in the Kingdom. The fresh mango export is set on the agenda in a meeting between senior officials from Cambodia and Japan next week. Veng Sakhon, Cambodia’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, is scheduled to hold talks with Arata Takebe, Japanese Deputy Agriculture Minister, in Phnom Penh next week. In a meeting with Sakhon last week, Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Mikami Masahiro, said that many good quality Cambodian agricultural products, including rice, bananas, cashews and pepper have the potential to be exported to international markets, including Japan. “Cambodia and Japan will study the requirements for fresh mango exports to Japan,” he said. Cambodia currently exports fresh mangoes to China and South Korea, where the demand for tropical fruits is high. Oum Savoeun, adviser of the Kirirom Keo Romiet Mango Agricultural Community in Kampong Speu province, said that the number of mango plantations has expanded since the start of mango exports to China and South Korea. “It is good for opening more markets for mango exports, but at the same time, some main supportive facilities and cooling transport are also required to keep the quality of fruits,” he said. In the meeting, Masahiro said Cambodia’s agricultural sector has played an important role in promoting economic growth, creating local jobs and generating income. Building supportive infrastructure, enhancing processing capacity, and technical training are top priorities for JICA while considering the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, he said. Sakhon expressed gratitude to the government and people of Japan for their continued support for the development of Cambodia, especially the agricultural sector through JICA. “These funded programmes have been contributing significantly to the development of Cambodia’s agricultural sector, ensuring food security, increasing incomes, improving living standards and increasing sustainable production, ensuring quality and safety,” Sakhon said. Cambodia exported nearly 265,230 tonnes of fresh mangoes and mango products in 2021, up by 146 per cent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Vietnam was the biggest market, importing 199,636.7 tonnes of mango products. This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources. Khmer Daily