On Tuesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen approved the establishment of a cashew industrial zone in Kampong Thom province, which could create a new source of income for people living in Zone 3.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2024 annual conference of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, he said, “The governor of Kampong Thom province requested the establishment of a cashew industrial zone, and I agreed to the proposal.”
“We use state land for development, not private land.
The state provides the land while the private sector cooperates to establish a cashew industrial zone in Kampong Thom province.
This initiative offers people living in Zone 3 and nearby areas an alternative to farming, providing year-round employment opportunities.”
He also encouraged all provincial and capital governors to continue their efforts to promote development in various sectors, including industrial and agro-industrial zones, to drive economic transformation.
He stressed that, as a result, the dependence of Zone 3 on Tonle Sap Lake for livelihoods will gradually decrease.
In the future, we will manage these areas effectively, creating new sources of income for the people there.”
Mr. Uon Silot, president of the Cambodian Cashew Association, said he agreed with Prime Minister Hun Manet that the development of the industrial zone is a joint effort.
Speaking to the Khmer Times, he said the Cambodian Cashew Association has also played a key role in promoting the rapid establishment of the cashew agro-industrial zone.
“As far as I know, the state has prepared 200 hectares of land for this industrial park and the preparation process is ongoing.
We are working to make it visible to show the benefits of this industrial park to the public.”
“The Cambodian Cashew Association really wants a farmer-industrial park in the form of a special economic zone that offers various benefits to investors,” he added.
Like special economic zones, agro-industrial factories need to be developed, he added.
Production costs can be lower and more competitive if agro-industrial parks receive special incentives such as tax exemptions, subsidies and simplified regulatory processes similar to those of special economic zones.
During a visit to Kampong Thom province in September, Hem Vandy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, urged the Kampong Thom Provincial Department of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation to play a practical role in achieving the government’s vision of transforming Kampong Thom province into a national center for cashew processing.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has launched a document on Cambodia’s cashew cultivation areas by 2024 nationwide.
The initiative aims to boost the cashew industry and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Cambodia, with an estimated 580,116 hectares of cashew cultivation area, ranks third in the world for the area under cashew cultivation.
The document said cashew plantations are located in Kampong Thom, Kratie, Stung Treng, Siem Reap, Kampong Cham, Oddar Meanchey, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, Preah Vihear, Tbong Khmum and Kampong Chhnang.
Among the provinces, Kampong Thom has the largest cultivated area at 147,700 hectares, followed by Kratie at 102,500 hectares and Ratanakiri at 97,200 hectares. According to the Cashew Association, from January to October 2024, Cambodia produced 840,000 tons of cashew nuts, an increase of 26 percent compared to the previous year.
