Tuesday, 12 February 2008

Companies Invested on 70,000 Hectares of Economic Land Concession in Kratie Province, Only 200 Hectares of the Land Have Been Planted With Rubber Tree

12 February 2008.

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 547

“Kratie: Ten companies had been granted authorization to invest on more than 70,000 hectares of economic land concessions in Kratie province. Until now, only one company has planted rubber trees on 200 hectares of land. The others have just leveled the ground and cut down trees.

“Mr. Kuy Huot, Director of the Kratie Provincial Department of Agriculture recently told Rasmei Kampuchea that in Kratie, there are 10 companies that were granted economic land concessions by the Royal Government. Among them, 6 companies are in Sambo district, 3 companies are in Snuol, and 1 company is in Kratie, totaling 70,000 hectares of land.

“But those companies seem to have not done anything remarkable according to the contracts made with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

“So far, the contracts of two companies in Svay Chreah commune, Snuol, and of a Chinese company in Sambo were terminated or temporarily suspended.

“The director of the Kratie Provincial Department of Agriculture continued to say that among all companies only Phou Rieng, that was granted nearly 10,000 hectares in Snuol, has planted rubber trees on more than 200 hectares of land. The company will continue to plant rubber trees on additional 300 hectares of land in 2008 as projected according to the company’s master plan.

“Some other companies planted no trees in 2007. They only leveled the ground and prepared roads into the company’s premise, and they built some infrastructure within their companies.
“Mr. Kuy Huot noted that the delayed process of these companies in Kratie is due to the fact that they are waiting for their master plans to be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

“Some other companies have already prepared [rubber] seedlings to be planted during the rainy season in 2008.

“The director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture added also that those companies that have economic land concessions include Phou Reing, Heng Heng Sambath, and the Tong Meng Group that had planed to plant rubber trees. But they do not plan to plant rubber trees, but to grow teak trees using seedlings of a quick-growing variety.

“For granting authorization to private companies to invest on economic land concessions, the Royal Government has the clear policy of granting only land not covered by forest. The benefits from such investments are used to encourage the private sectors to create employment for people and income for the country.

“Mr. Kuy Huot added that the companies that received these economic land concessions have to plan and study the socio-economic and environmental impact in advance. Besides that, the Ministry of Agriculture and the provincial authorities have to ensure that the companies’ investments will achieve good results and will not have negative effects.

“Actually, some of these companies having economic land concessions for investment in Kratie did not properly follow the Royal Government’s policy. Those companies only want to occupy the land and the forests so that they can gain benefit for their own companies”.

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4512, 10.2.2008

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