Friday, 18 July 2008

Cambodia To Produce 4,000 Tonnes Of Organic Rice In 2008

PHNOM PENH , July 18 (Bernama) -- Cambodia plans to produce 4,000 tonnes of organic rice this year for exports to EU and U.S., a 1,000 tonnes rise over last year, Xinhua news agency said quoting a report in the English-Khmer language newspaper, the Mekong Times, Friday.

The Center for Studies and Development in Cambodian Agriculture will undertake the task, which is expected as a key step to strengthen the agricultural sector, said the paper.

Around 10,000 families in eight provinces are producing the organic rice, said center director Yang Saing Koma.

"We think only organic rice production can help the economic sector because this kind of rice can be sold at a high price in local and international markets," he added.

Thanks to right climate and soil conditions, Cambodia used to be a major rice producer and exporter before war ravaged the country around 1970s. Currently, Vietnam and Thailand have surpassed Cambodia as the top rice exporters in the region.

-- BERNAMA

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