Kampot province’s salt producers have noted a new boom in the sector this year, with salt farmers in the province collectively producing 100,000 tons this season. The improved output comes from structural reforms underway in the sector by the Ministry of Industry, Science, Innovation and Technology (MISTI), together with local authorities and other stakeholders, implementing measures to improve factors such as output size, transport efficiency and selling prices. For producers in the province.
Kampot province currently has 3,489 hectares of salt farms and a network of 560 salt warehouses, according to Ms. Sim Nary, acting director of the Department of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, which is a department of MISTI.
She said the extensive collection network and salt collection infrastructure have enabled Kampot province to produce an annual salt output of about 100,000 tons. This is a huge leap compared to the 2023 harvest, in which 78,000 tonnes of salt were recorded in the MISTI report.
Ms. Sim Nary also pointed out that the industry is labour-intensive, now providing a sustainable livelihood through salt production and trade to 1,474 people in Kampot province alone.
She said the farm operates from 4 to 6 months each year, and they play a key role in meeting the region’s salt needs.
The farms should be able to produce up to 110,000 tons annually, according to the department’s 2023 analysis, which is enough to meet the country’s consumption needs.
During a recent meeting with salt producers from Kampot and Kep provinces, MISTI Minister Hem Vandy highlighted that Salt is a key input for many key industrial processes, so demand should continue for the long term for Cambodia’s coastal producers.
The Minister outlined MISTI’s salt development strategy for 2022-2026 and urged local salt producers in the two provinces to explore new markets beyond their traditional trade.
He particularly emphasized that the use of salt as an input for chlorine for water treatment is a good example of an industrial salt product that is in demand. And a potential market for more income for local salt producers to continue.
The Ministry is implementing the next legal reform in the management of salt communities in Kampot and Kep provinces, focusing on raising and supporting production, diversifying salt production, and developing salt lands in coastal areas for the purposes of agrotourism and environmental protection.
A Geographical Indication (G.I.) for Kampot salt exports has also been approved. That allows higher export prices for products to European and US markets, where only one certification is applied.
Last week, the ministry also announced that it is considering the creation of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) clusters to increase efficiency and final value for individual agricultural enterprises across the country through a cooperative business structure.
According to the ministry, the cluster park could also include a logistics and service center that would provide local transportation, import-export clearance, On-site customs clearance and cold storage packaging or other value-added services for SMEs clustered as needed for the type of industry. Clustered SMEs can also benefit from pre-processing, financial advisory and credit services.
