On Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen met with community members and reviewed the progress of organizing a modern cashew farming community in Kampong Thom province.
He praised the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for transforming family farming into a strong agricultural economic enterprise.
He particularly praised the integration of modern cashew farming communities and the strengthening of competitiveness in both quantity and quality.
This was Prime Minister Hun Sen’s first direct meeting with cashew farmers since he became Prime Minister.
Meeting with a modern cashew farming community in Koul commune, Prasat Sambor district, Kampong Thom province, he learned a lot about the actual situation of cashew farming, the benefits, as well as the challenges faced by farmers.
He noted on his social media that the Prasat Sambor Rung Modern Agricultural Community is one of the three modern communities (Kampong Thom Salatsek Modern Agricultural Community and Kampong Thom Tumring Modern Agricultural Community) that focus on cashew cultivation in Kampong Thom province, with a total of 153 families and a production area of 644 hectares, with an expected yield of about 1,000 tons of wet cashew nuts.
The community is commended for planning well, with a strategy to sell 70 percent of wet cashew nuts and 30 percent of dry cashew nuts, with arrangements for agricultural production under contracts at a better price of 10-15 percent.
In addition, the Prime Minister also highly appreciated the coordination and support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in implementing the 6th Priority Policy Program of the Royal Government of the 7th Term, with the goal of transforming family farming into a strong, highly integrated agricultural economic enterprise, with economies of scale and the ability to compete in both quantity and quality.
“Our economic development depends on the agricultural sector, and the Royal Government has paid great attention to cashew nuts since the previous mandate. In this new mandate, we need to increase efficiency further.
He stressed that the Ministry of Agriculture has developed a strategy by establishing modern farming communities to help farmers increase cultivation efficiency and reduce costs.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there are currently nine modern farming communities across six provinces, focusing on four types of crops: rice, vegetables, cashews and pepper.
So far, some of these communities have started to benefit and have gradually started distributing dividends.
The ministry plans to expand modern farming communities to other crops, with clear market linkages, and also plans to expand its scope.
Mr. Suy Kokthean, vice president of the Cambodian Cashew Association (CAC), told the Khmer Times yesterday that the Prime Minister’s visit and personal meetings with members of the modern cashew farming community in Kampong Thom province are positive signs, highlighting the commitment of relevant institutions to develop this important agricultural sub-sector in Cambodia.
“We believe that with the attention paid to cashew nuts from top to bottom, the industry will no longer face serious problems. On behalf of CAC, I would like to express my gratitude for the thoughtful actions of the Prime Minister and all the leaders.”
A report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries shows that cashew plantations covered an area of approximately 580,117 hectares across Cambodia in 2024. Kampong Thom province has the largest area of cultivation, approximately 147,700 hectares, followed by Kratie province with 102,500 hectares and Ratanakkiri province with 97.2 hectares.
So far, Cambodia has produced 850,000 tons of cashew nuts, an increase of 26.8 percent, and exported 815,000 tons of cashew nuts, an increase of 31 percent. However, exports to Vietnam have stagnated at 793,453 tons.
