- The first official export shipment is an 80-ton cargo of fresh Cambodian mangoes loaded in six containers
- Both countries signed in June last year a protocol on phytosanitary requirements that paved the way for the export of Cambodian fresh mangoes
- Fresh mango is Cambodia’s second fresh fruit to gain official access to the Chinese market directly after banana made its entry in 2019
- Cambodia is hoping to cater to the Chinese market’s demand for more fruits, rice and other agricultural foodstuff
Cambodia on May 7 exported its first official shipment of fresh mangoes direct to China, the 80-ton cargo loaded in six containers signaling the increased agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
Cambodian Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian witnessed a ceremony held in Cambodia marking the first shipment of Cambodian fresh mangoes to China, reported Xinhua News Agency.
The export came after both countries signed in June last year a protocol on phytosanitary requirements that paved the way for the export of Cambodian fresh mangoes.
Late last month, the General Administration of Customs of China certified the first 37 mango orchards and five packaging plants to export Cambodian fresh mangoes to China, Sakhon said.
He said Cambodia has nearly 132,000 hectares of mango trees, yielding around 1.38 million tons of fresh mangoes annually.
Fresh mango is Cambodia’s second fresh fruit to gain official access to the Chinese market directly after banana, Sakhon said.
Since the successful export of Cambodian yellow bananas to China in May 2019, the Cambodian banana industry has enjoyed a leapfrog development, Wang said.
“As China opens the mango market for Cambodia, I believe that the Cambodian mango industry will also grow like the banana industry,” he said.
Cambodian Ministry of Commerce’s undersecretary of state Penn Sovicheat said the first direct export of Cambodian fresh mangoes to China marked a significant breakthrough in gaining access to a huge market for Cambodian fresh fruits.
Cambodia remains a sustainable source of agricultural products to the Chinese market, Sovicheat said, adding that the kingdom is ready to provide other products such as fruits, rice and other agricultural foodstuff to meet the Chinese market’s demand.
Photo by G patkar
