With the import tariff removed, Cambodia expects to see at least 200,000 tons of rice exports to the EU this year

The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) sets a plan of bold promotion of Cambodia’s fragrant rice in some European countries in a bid to spread out the quality of milled rice to the bloc’s consumers.

The plan has been prepared amid the EU ending the three-year import tariff on the country’s long-grain white rice last week.

The CRF sets a plan to join exhibitions in the EU countries to push direct sales to customers, said CRF president Song Saran.

“Per our strategy, we will join exhibitions to sell directly to customers. Now, the rice import tariff has ended. We will go to sell and promote our rice directly to regain support,” Saran said.

CRF plans to promote fragrant rice in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium and other countries such as the US, Australia and China’s Hong Kong, he said, adding that the promotion is made based on the CRF’s budget available and support from development partners.

The CRF also pushes farmers to select quality rice seeds to plant so that they produce quality rice for export.

The CRF plans to promote the quality rice seed to farmers to provinces in the main rice production province around the Tonle Sap Lake, Saran said.

The EU market accounted for more than 50 percent of Cambodia’s total milled rice export in 2016 and this amount dropped sharply to around 20 percent last year, mainly due to the import tariff on Cambodia’s long-grain white rice.

With the import tariff removed, Cambodia expects to see at least 200,000 tons of rice exports to the EU this year.

“Rice export reaches about 150,000 tonnes to the EU, so after the import tariff ends, we expect to see at least 200,000 tonnes by this year or up to 250,000 tonnes according to high demand of Cambodia’s rice,” Saran said optimistically. Currently, China is the biggest market for the country’s rice export, followed by the EU.

For original article, please read here

Author: Chea Vanyuth

Source: Khmer Times

Publication date: 25 January 2022