https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/rssfeed/country/cambodia cambodia https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/3509/from-additives-to-spices-cac48-redraws-rules-of-global-food-trade.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/3509/from-additives-to-spices-cac48-redraws-rules-of-global-food-trade.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:50:16 +0530 Codex and FAO officials detail how updated standards aim to protect consumers without triggering disproportionate trade disruption for export-dependent economies In an exclusive Agrospectrum and NUFFOODS Spectrum interview with global food-standards leaders — Sarah Cahill, Codex Secretary; Lingping Zhang, Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat; Markus Lipp, Senior Food Safety Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Gracia Brisco, Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat; and Hilde Kruse, Senior Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat — CAC48 emerges as a decisive moment for Codex amid rising geopolitical fragmentation. The experts reaffirm Codex’s science-based, consensus-driven mandate, which shaped major reforms including additive reviews, aflatoxin updates, pesticide-residue reference guidelines and new maximum lead levels for spices. They underline how improved Codes of Practice, surveillance support and harmonised quality parameters enable consumer protection while minimising trade disruption for export-reliant economies. Looking ahead, they highlight the Codex Strategic Plan 2026–2031, which places digital traceability, climate-risk foresight, and advanced analytical technologies at the core of modernising global food safety governance. Edited excerpts; Codex at a Geopolitical Crossroads The 48th Session saw critical standards adopted across additives, contaminants, and fresh-produce quality. At a time when food systems face geopolitical fragmentation, supply-chain shocks, and rising protectionism, how does Codex ensure these standards remain science-led, globally harmonized, and insulated from political pressure? The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is a Member-driven body with its commitment to a science-based approach to standard setting enshrined in its procedures. Its work is guided by its strategic goals, and its core values of collaboration, inclusiveness, consensus building and transparency. Codex texts are the benchmark for food safety under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and are relevant to the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) where WTO members refer to harmonization with international standards such as the Codex Alimentarius for food-related issues such as labelling. Codex standards play an important role in addressing specific trade concerns or for dispute settlement cases. Wherever you are, whatever you do, safe food is an everyday need. And it is a global commodity. These aspects are integral to every discussion in the Codex Alimentarius Commission. “Together” was also the theme of CAC48, which served to highlight that when it comes to food safety and quality it is only by working together that we can effectively and efficiently ensure food is safe and of good quality.  The GSFA Overhaul: Science, Safety, and Consumer Trust More than 500 food additive provisions were reviewed, leading to revocations and new inclusions. What principles guided the reassessment—particularly for colourants like annatto extracts—and how does FAO ensure regulators and industry transition smoothly to these updated provisions without disrupting product availability or trade flows? All Codex work is conducted following approval by CAC. Thus, the decision for reassessment was taken by Members. In the case of annatto extracts, this decision was based on: The need to align the General standard for food additives with relevant sections of commodity standards. In this case, for example, there was a need to align with the Standard for fermented milks, which does not provide for the addition of annatto extracts in plain milk. Codex texts are developed through consensus by all its Members in a deliberate manner that often spans a timeframe of several years. The national Codex contact points serve as a primary node to disseminate all applicable information to national stakeholders. In addition, FAO provides support when requested by Member Countries to strengthen national Codex structures, thereby enhancing national capabilities in disseminating all relevant Codex texts to national stakeholders. Aflatoxins in Peanuts: New Science, New Responsibilities The revised Code of Practice on aflatoxins integrates updated agronomic science, maturity-stage tables, and roasting effects. How will FAO help producing countries—especially smallholder-dependent economies—translate these best practices into field-level change? Are new surveillance, extension, or capacity-building mechanisms planned? FAO stays ready to support its members needs and will respond to requests by its members for additional capacity building measures correspondingly. FAO and Codex furthermore have published numerous guidance documents, codes of practice and related texts that is publicly available, ready to be used by any other organization that would like to use this information in order to support producers of peanuts. Lead Limits in Spices: Balancing Public Health and Trade facilitation With new maximum levels now set for dried bark (cinnamon) and culinary herbs, exporting nations such as —India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia—face compliance pressure. How does Codex balance the dual mandate of protecting consumers health while ensuring fair practices in trade, in this case, preventing trade disruptions for economies reliant on spice exports? The mandate to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade is the statutory purpose of CAC. This means that, when it comes to food safety standards such as maximum levels for contaminants in foods, CAC will not establish more stringent measures than necessary to protect consumers health so that the measures themselves do not become a technical barrier to trade which may then translate in trade disruption that may impact economic growth and ultimately food security.   Although spices and culinary herbs are consumed in small amounts, as opposed to other foods, it remains important to assess the safety of lead levels in these foods due to the impact of lead toxicity on human health that may include neurodevelopmental effects such as decreases in Intelligence Quota (IQ) and attention span in children, impaired renal function, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, impaired fertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes and therefore the ALARA continued to apply when CCCF discusses risk management considerations related to health and trade so that while ensuring the safety of the food, this does not imply high rejections rate of lot consignments, at import control point. CCCF does provide support to Codex Members to enable them to comply with MLs, by developing codes of practice, a compendium of risk management measures and practices to assist in reducing food contamination, in this case CAC40 adopted in 2017 the Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of mycotoxins in spices (CXC 78-2017). FAO does have a role to play in assisting countries with the implementation of the CoP, helping them to identify specific risk management measures that may not be included in the CoP, as they are usually overarching texts, that can complement the measures applicable worldwide that are described in these CoPs. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted MLs for lead in spices and culinary herbs, specifically, dried bark (cinnamon) and dried culinary herbs. The MLs are 2.5 mg/kg for lead in spices, dried bark and 2.0 mg/kg for lead in culinary herbs, dried and will now be added to the General Standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed (CXS 193-1995).  Pesticide Reference Materials: A Quiet but Critical Reform The guidelines allowing extended use of pesticide reference materials beyond labelled expiry dates could significantly reduce laboratory costs and waste. What drove this reform? And how does FAO envision it strengthening residue monitoring systems in low- and middle-income countries where testing infrastructure remains limited? Pesticide residues in food are a subject of particular concern for consumers and in the food trade. To ensure the safety of food, the regulation of pesticide use, and relevant residues, must be enforced and guaranteed. Part of the process of testing for pesticide residues relies on laboratories being able to access what are known as reference materials, or RMs. But these are costly and sold with 2-to-5-year short-term expiry dates, though there is no requirement to find maximum shelf life. This can force laboratories to buy new RMs more frequently than potentially necessary. This leads to additional work and additional costs, and that can hinder how much testing can be done.  The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted guidelines that provide a scientifically sound framework to monitor the purity and stability of reference materials under defined conditions, which, if implemented correctly, may allow continued use of RMs beyond their expiry date - where purity remains within acceptable limits. This reduces recurring costs, minimizes waste, and ensures confidence in the reliability of pesticide residue analysis.  The work on the development of guidelines for monitoring the purity and stability of reference materials of pesticides during prolonged storage commenced at CCPR51 in 2019, when some delegations expressed concerns regarding the limitation of the use of reference materials beyond the expiry date, leading to significant recurring costs for laboratories. As chair of the electronic working group (EWG), India led the work to develop these guidelines. FAO stays ready to support its members needs and will respond to requests by its members for additional capacity building measures correspondingly.  Read more about this work in the 2025 edition of the CODEX magazine   Standard for Fresh Dates: Trade Enablement for Climate-Stressed Regions The new standard comes after a decade of negotiations and is deeply important for date-producing regions across the Middle East and North Africa. How will harmonized quality parameters—size, colour, uniformity, defects—reshape global trade? Can such standards help climate-stressed producers secure better prices in high-value retail markets ? By adopting the new Standard for fresh dates, Codex Members now have an international reference that provides the baseline for international trade of this commodity upon which trading partners can agree on additional quality provisions based on their consumers’ preferences. For producing countries, this opens up trade possibilities across the globe, which, in many cases, will support the livelihoods of small producers, bolster economies and provide a safe, good quality product for consumers worldwide. Castilla Lulo (Naranjilla): Regional Standards as a Strategic Tool This new regional standard reflects the fruit’s cultural importance and emerging trade value in Latin America. What criteria does Codex use to decide when a product merits a regional rather than global standard? And do regional standards serve as testbeds for potential future global adoption? When considering new work proposed by FAO/WHO regional coordinating committees, CAC considers, amongst other things, whether the new work is justified on the grounds that the product in question is significantly traded intraregionally and that there is no significant trade between or within other regions When a commodity for which there is a regional standard, sees increased trade at a global level, the coordinating committee concerned, or a Member, can propose extension of the territorial application of the standard. This involves new work, which has to be approved by CAC. CAC48 approved, for example, new work on converting the Regional standard for laver products (Asia) to a worldwide standard, work that will be carried out by the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP). The Next Frontier: Modernizing Codex for a New Era of Food Risks From AI-driven food systems to precision fermentation, novel ingredients, and climate-linked contaminants, food safety risks are evolving faster than many national regulatory systems. What are FAO’s top priorities for modernizing Codex over the next decade? How will future standards incorporate digital traceability, climate risk modelling, and new analytical technologies? FAO is a parent organization of Codex, together with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, work prioritization in Codex is the remit of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. CAC47 adopted the Codex strategic plan 2026–2031 and CAC48 its monitoring framework. The purpose of the Codex strategic plan and its renewal and renegotiation every five years is to ensure that Codex work is aimed at achieving the most appropriate objectives. FAO has a very long-standing tradition to inform the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies with all relevant information to facilitate forward looking workplanning. FAO continues to offer its support to all its members and the members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission to assist in national capacity building activities to strengthen food control systems, food safety governance and all related aspects. The new strategic plan has as its first Strategic Goal to: Respond to Members’ needs for protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade in an evolving global landscape, by developing science-based standards and related texts 1.1 Foresight and horizon-scanning activities are used to support the identification of issues likely to impact food safety, quality and trade. 1.2 Scientific advice that addresses the needs identified by CAC and its subsidiary bodies is primarily provided by FAO and WHO and their joint scientific advisory bodies, informed by globally representative data and appropriate international expertise and methodology. 1.3 Scientific advice is used by CAC and subsidiary bodies in line with Codex risk analysis principles. 1.4 Codex standards and related texts are developed, reviewed and adopted in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner. Thus, with reference to FAO’s foresight programme ( https://www.fao.org/food-safety/scientific-advice/foresight/en/ ), Codex will aim to keep ahead of emerging trends Codex work is already addressing some of the key emerging issues and adapting based on Members’ priorities: Digital traceability is already a key topic of discussion in the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), and work is ongoing to develop texts for the digitalization of national food control systems. CAC47 adopted the Codex Committee on Food Labelling’s (CCFL’s) Guidelines on the provision of food information for pre-packaged foods to be offered via e-commerce New food sources and production systems have been discussed extensively in Codex in recent years. In this context several areas of new work are under discussion which will help define how codex addresses this emerging area moving forward. Changing climate is also impacting food safety and this is also impacting the standard setting work of Codex. For example, the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) elaborated and CAC47 adopted the Code of practice for the prevention or reduction of ciguatera poisoning, in response to the evolving nature of this issue, which is related to climate factors. The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene developed and CAC46 adopted Guidelines for the safe use and reuse of water in food production and processing in response to Members concerns about the need to ensure that in the context of water resource challenges, the safety of food was not negatively impacted. There is a continued emphasis, particularly within CCCF, on the issue of mycotoxins, the threat of which is evolving and possibly expanding as climate factors change. —---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/1170/vietnam-becomes-largest-asean-trading-partner-of-cambodia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/1170/vietnam-becomes-largest-asean-trading-partner-of-cambodia.html Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:40:50 +0530 Bilateral trade reached  $2.8 billion in 2023 mainly by exporting rice, rubber, cashew nut, cassava, corn, banana, mango, tobacco, and natural resources Vietnam became the largest trading partner of Cambodia among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as bilateral trade made up nearly 50% of the total between Cambodia and the countries in the first five months of 2023. During the five months, trade between the two countries topped $2.8 billion, rising nearly 3% from a year earlier. Cambodia exported about $1.3 billion worth of goods to and imported commodities totalling over $1.5 billion from Vietnam, said the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce as cited by sbm.news. With such positive trade growth, Vietnam was not only the biggest in ASEAN but also ranked third among all trading partners of Cambodia, after China and the US, during the period. The growth in Cambodia’s exports to Vietnam was mainly driven by the higher shipments of farm produce with increase in harvests. Its main exports include rice, rubber, cashew nut, cassava, corn, banana, mango, tobacco, and natural resources. Meanwhile, the main imports from Vietnam include construction materials, machinery, fuels, electrical and electronic devices, fertiliser, seasonings, vegetables, and fruits, the Cambodian newswire reported. Trade turnover between the two countries has risen continually in recent years, by an annual average of 18.5% during 2010 - 2015 and over 21% during 2015 - 2020. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam was also one of the top three trading partners of Cambodia, with bilateral trade surging over 79% from 2020 to $9.54 billion in 2021. In 2022, the figure stood at $10.57 billion, up nearly 11% from the previous year, data of the Cambodian Commerce Ministry showed. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/890/japans-jica-partners-with-cambodia-to-improve-irrigation-facility.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/890/japans-jica-partners-with-cambodia-to-improve-irrigation-facility.html Thu, 04 May 2023 11:41:39 +0530 JICA to provide Japanese ODA loan of up to 2,482 million yen for the Cambodia's Southwest Phnom Penh Irrigation and Drainage Rehabilitation and Improvement Project The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a loan agreement with the Royal Government of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, to provide a Japanese ODA loan of up to 2,482 million yen for the Southwest Phnom Penh Irrigation and Drainage Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (II). Planned Implementation Schedule (1) of the project is to be completed and operational in February 2026. The objective of the project is to increase the productivity of agriculture in the impoverished region comprising Kampong Speu province, Takeo province, and Kandal province, mostly located southwest of Phnom Penh, by improving irrigation and drainage facilities. In doing so, the project will increase farmers’ incomes as well as help the region recover from COVID-19, thereby contributing to the achievement of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Goals 1 (No poverty) and 2 (Zero hunger). A major goal of this project was to improve agricultural productivity in Southwest Phnom Penh by repairing and constructing irrigation facilities, thereby improving the livelihoods of agricultural workers in the area. Phase I of the Project was signed in July 2014 (total project cost 6,772 million yen, Japanese ODA loan 5,606 million yen) and is already been provided, and the current yen loan will cover the second term. The government of Cambodia has set promoting agriculture and agricultural villages as one target in its 4th Rectangular Strategy (2018 to 2023) and National Strategic Development Plan (2019 to 2023), aiming to invest in agricultural productivity improvement and irrigation systems. In response to the continued focus on irrigation in government policy, the Government of Cambodia requested an additional loan (this Loan) from the Government of Japan. An important goal of the National Strategic Development Plan (2009-2013) is to improve agricultural productivity in order to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth. Through repair and construction of irrigation facilities, the plan aims to improve agricultural productivity and expand irrigation areas. In September 2012, the Cambodian government requested the Government of Japan to fund the Southwest Phnom Penh Irrigation and Drainage Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (the Project). In the Kingdom of Cambodia, agriculture accounts for 22.8% of GDP and 35% of the employed population (World Bank, 2022), and it is the primary means of earning a living in rural and agricultural areas. Cambodia uses rainwater for cultivation. As of 2011, irrigation water is used in 30% of rice paddies in Cambodia during the rainy season and only 9% during the dry season (MOWRAM, 2012), presenting a challenge for increasing productivity. Many of the existing irrigation facilities were constructed by the Pol Pot regime (1975 to 1978). Rainwater is required to operate many of them due to design and construction issues, as well as degradation. Repairs and improvements are urgently needed to irrigation facilities. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/639/crocodile-farming-in-asia-needs-a-push.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/639/crocodile-farming-in-asia-needs-a-push.html Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:32:31 +0530 According to a report, the global crocodile farming market is projected to grow at 5 per cent CAGR during the forecast period of 2022-2030. But on the other hand,Crocodile farming, which is one of the growing industries in Asia and Australia, is facing challenges due to the export restrictions in many countries. Amendments in export policy and better infrastructure will give a big push to the crocodile farming industry in Asia. Recently 22 freshwater baby crocodiles were seized in Thailand, a man was selling baby crocodiles on Tik Tok. Phuket Provincial Fisheries office took action against the man and found crocodiles in a small pool. The farmer was selling baby crocodiles on social media due to restrictions on crocodile exports.  Crocodile farming is a popular business in Asia. Countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Bangladesh are having crocodile farming companies. The purpose of crocodile farming is to get meat, skin, oil, medicine and other things. Crocodile meat is known for low cholesterol and high protein. Luxury brands use crocodile skin to make expensive fashion products. In Malaysia, Thailand and Papua Guinea crocodile related events are getting popular. The farming and breeding of crocodiles are also beneficial for the growth of tourism in these countries. But due to trade restrictions farms are suffering losses.   In Thailand, there are many crocodile farms across the country, but the crocodile farm business is dwindling due to the regulations on cross-border trade. Crocodile farmers in Thailand have demanded relaxation in regulations. During the pandemic, there were tight regulations on the export of crocodile meat and skin. Thailand’s crocodile industry’s $ 200 million annual sales plunged which is around 90 per cent.   In Cambodia, farmers are seeking help from the government to find more international markets for export. Cambodian farmers export crocodiles to Vietnam and Thailand. During the pandemic price of crocodiles has dropped drastically. Previously farmers were selling per crocodile for $500 to $800, but now the price of the crocodile has dropped to $30 to $40 per head.   Bangladesh’s first commercial crocodile farm suffered serious losses during the pandemic, as many crocodiles died due to food shortages and a complete halt in the export of crocodiles. The Reptile's Farm is located at Hatibeer of Mymensingh's Bhaluka upazila and it shipped 1507 skins between 2014 and 2019. The farm has been exporting skin to Japan for the last five years. The farm is now having more than 2,500 crocodiles out of 93 at the breeding stage and 500 are ready to shed skins that could be processed and exported. The farm is waiting to relax export restrictions and plans to export 1,000 skins annually. A piece of skin can bring $600 to $700. Vietnam’s crocodile farming is also facing heavy losses as the pandemic affected meat export. Vietnamese traders were dependent on China. HCM City in Vietnam is a crocodile hub of the country. The city is farming 2 lakhs animals every year. City also developed eco-tourism but during covid 19 outbreak city’s revenue dropped by 80 per cent. Vietnamese farmers are expecting planning and investment for the development of the industry.  According to a report, the global crocodile farming market is projected to grow at 5 per cent CAGR during the forecast period of 2022-2030. According to a United Nations Environment report in 2017 more than two million crocodile skins are traded annually across the world.  There are around 27 species of crocodile in the world, all species are listed under Convention on International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) but most of them are used for trade. Nine species are used for meat across the world. Nile crocodiles and New Guinea crocodiles are two species considered to have stable wild populations and low-concern conservation status by the International Union for Conservation status. There are three other species which are having stable populations and low conservation concerns mugger, saltwater crocodile and Morelet crocodile. These three types of crocodiles are raised for fashion and accessories purposes. Species like the American alligator, spectacled caiman, and broad-snouted caiman are raised for meat purposes.   Crocodile farming is one of the growing industries in Asia and Australia, Due to the export restrictions many of the crocodile farms in Asia are in problem. On the other hand, luxury brands are also entering into crocodile farming. French fashion brand Hermes built one of the biggest crocodile farms in Australia, which can hold 50,000 saltwater crocodiles.  Crocodile farms in Asia  Sriracha Farm Asia is one of the oldest crocodile farms in Thailand, supplying fresh and processed crocodile meat. The company also supplies crocodile skin. For more than three decades the company has been into crocodile farming. Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo is one of the oldest and largest crocodile farms in Thailand, the Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo is a popular tourist attraction that is home to over 100,000 crocodiles.Pattaya Crocodile Farm is located in the coastal city of Pattaya, this crocodile farm offers daily crocodile shows and other attractions for visitors.Koorana Crocodile Farm is from Australia and has operations in Indonesia, this company breeds and raises saltwater crocodiles for meat, skin, and other products. It has operations in both Australia and Indonesia.CROCODYLUS PARK is also from Australia and has operations in Indonesia CROCODYLUS PARK breeds saltwater crocodiles for meat, skin, and other products. Park also offers tours and educational programs to visitors. Malindo Feedmill Company is a leading producer of animal feed in Indonesia, including feed for crocodile farming.Taman Buaya Indonesia is a crocodile farm, and the zoo is located in the city of Medan in North Sumatra and is one of the largest crocodile farms in Indonesia.Langkapuri Crocodile Farm in Malaysia located in the state of Sabah on the island of Borneo, this crocodile farm breeds and raises saltwater crocodiles for their meat and skin. Crocodile farming, which is one of the growing industries in Asia and Australia, is facing challenges due to the export restrictions in many countries. Amendments in export policy and better infrastructure will give a big push to the crocodile farming industry in Asia. By Shraddha Warde shraddha.warde@mmactiv.com ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/618/green-climate-fund-approves-151-3-mn-for-climate-action-in-bolivia-cambodia-and-the-philippines.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/618/green-climate-fund-approves-151-3-mn-for-climate-action-in-bolivia-cambodia-and-the-philippines.html Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:23:27 +0530 The initiatives in partnership with FAO are focused on fostering climate adaptation and resilience for smallholder farmers The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) decision to approve funding for three new projects in Bolivia, Cambodia and the Philippines, valued at $151.3 million. The national initiatives, supported by FAO, are focused on fostering climate change adaptation and resilience for smallholder farmers, local communities, and other value chain actors in three nations facing increasing weather and climate-related threats to their agricultural practices and livelihoods. “Innovation in climate finance can trigger transformative change towards more inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems”, said Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General. “The approval of these three projects shows how, by leveraging global partnerships, FAO can help strengthen adaptation and resilience capacities of rural communities, especially women and Indigenous Peoples. This contributes to the implementation of the FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031.” The funding announcement was made during the thirty-fifth meeting of the GCF Board held in Songdo, Incheon, Republic of Korea from 13-16 March. “These projects in Cambodia, Bolivia and the Philippines demonstrate how partnerships can deliver innovative climate solutions for some of the world’s most vulnerable countries”, said Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director. “Supporting efforts to transition to climate-resilient food and agriculture systems is a key priority for GCF.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/499/cambodia-offers-cheaper-rice-to-the-philippines.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/499/cambodia-offers-cheaper-rice-to-the-philippines.html Fri, 03 Feb 2023 15:13:53 +0530 Cambodian rice can enter the Philippine market at a 35 per cent tariff rate.  Cambodia is exploring opportunities to directly export rice to the Philippines, offering an alternative and cheaper source of rice for the country.  Alfredo Pascual Secretary Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) met with a Cambodian delegation, led by Chan Sokty, chief executive officer of the state-owned Green Trade Company and Okhna Chan Sokheang the president of the Cambodia Rice Federation. Green Trade is the counterpart of DTI’s Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC).  The Cambodian delegates are also exploring exporting rice through a government-to-government arrangement between Green Trade and PITC. Pascual said Cambodia has a rice surplus of 50 per cent of its total rice production, and the Southeast Asian country intends to sell it directly to neighbouring countries and also in Europe. Cambodian rice can enter the Philippine market at a 35 per cent tariff rate.  Pascual added the Cambodian delegates said they can commit to supplying 3 million metric tons of rice to the Philippines, which is the level of imported rice by the country in 2022. Earlier, Joey Concepcion, Go Negosyo founder and ASEAN Business Advisory Council chair said Cambodia expressed its intention to directly export unmilled rice to the Philippines on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in November 2022. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/327/iucn-and-fao-to-lead-flagship-forest-programme-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/327/iucn-and-fao-to-lead-flagship-forest-programme-in-southeast-asia.html Tue, 27 Dec 2022 11:00:41 +0530 IUCN and FAO selected as lead agencies for the Global Environment Facility’s Indo-Malay Critical Forest Biome Integrated Programme The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will lead the Indo-Malaya Critical Forest Biome Integrated Programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This flagship GEF programme will support countries in conserving globally critical intact forest landscapes through interventions inside and outside protected areas. The Indo-Malaya Critical Forest Biome Integrated Program will be open to Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The region’s 63 million hectares of primary forests, or intact forest landscapes that have not been influenced by human activities, are home to more than 5000 threatened species, store millions of tonne of carbon, and support millions of livelihoods, especially of Indigenous Peoples. In the past 20 years, the region lost more than 17 million hectares of primary forest due to agricultural expansion, mining, illegal logging, and infrastructure projects. “Primary forest landscapes provide unique ecosystem benefits and functions that cannot be replaced. The Indo-Malaya Critical Forest Biome Integrated Program will provide critical support to key Asian countries and subregions in protecting these vital ecosystems and contribute towards their climate and biodiversity targets”, says Dindo Campilan, IUCN Asia Regional Director. The Indo-Malaya programme is part of the GEF’s programming directions for 2022–2026, a programming period known as GEF-8. The programme will aim to secure the integrity of the critical tropical forests of the Indo-Malay Biome for the benefit of people and nature by strengthening the governance, management, investments, partnerships and capacity building for area-based conservation and sustainable forest landscapes in the region by expanding and strengthening the management of protected areas, other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) outside protected areas, promoting alternative and improved livelihoods and creating an enabling environment. “Our primary forests are under threat, and the biodiversity, clean water, natural heritage, and healthy ecosystems they provide are under threat too,” says Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff, FAO Senior Forestry Officer and Forestry and Biodiversity Module Leader. “In partnership with IUCN, our joint leadership of the GEF’s Indo-Malaya Critical Forest Biome Integrated Program will help countries in the region conserve these forests and ensure they remain part of the solution to the global biodiversity and climate crises.” The 63rd Council Meeting of the GEF selected IUCN to lead and FAO to co-lead the programme for their collective leadership in protected area governance and management, rights-based conservation, forest landscape governance and management, and the agriculture, forest and other land use sectors. The programme will build on the comparative strengths of IUCN and FAO to create enabling policies for integrated planning and governance reforms, by establishing partnerships and leveraging investments to maximise global environmental benefits, poverty alleviation and improved economic development. IUCN and FAO are implementing agencies of the GEF, a partnership of 18 agencies and 183 countries which addresses the world’s most challenging environmental issues related to biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, chemicals, and international waters. GEF provides grants to countries to meet these challenges whilst contributing to key development goals, such as food security. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/305/cambodia-earns-funds-to-boost-blue-economy.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/305/cambodia-earns-funds-to-boost-blue-economy.html Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:17:41 +0530 The project will strengthen Cambodia’s marine fishery while supporting its contribution to shared fish stocks and ecosystems in the Gulf of Thailand. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $73 million financing package to boost the climate resilience and sustainability of coastal and marine fisheries in Cambodia. The Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project will be financed by a $41 million loan from ADB; a $22 million grant from ADB’s Asian Development Fund, which provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries; and a $10 million loan from the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund under its ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF). The Agence Française de Développement will also provide the cofinancing equivalent to $20 million to be administered by ADB. The fishery subsector is an important component of Cambodia’s economy, accounting for 8per cent to 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Marine fisheries account for 13 per cent of the fishery subsector; yet, overfishing and climate change have led to a substantial decline in fish stocks, which has impacted coastal communities and businesses and resulted in higher fish prices. The project will strengthen Cambodia’s marine fishery while supporting its contribution to shared fish stocks and ecosystems in the Gulf of Thailand. It will help the country’s four coastal provinces—Kampot, Kep, Koh Kong, and Preah Sihanouk—reverse the sharp decline in fisheries, promote sustainable mariculture, and enhance fish landing sites to improve seafood safety. It is expected that under the project about 40 per cent of the nearshore fishery will be regenerated into more productive and sustainable enterprise.  The project will promote private sector development by enabling coastal communities and small businesses to diversify their livelihoods, adopt sustainable practices, and grow into viable enterprises. It will also support women’s economic empowerment by scaling up women’s engagement in small and medium-sized enterprises. Overall, the project will benefit 25 community fisheries organisations and members of 15 community-protected areas, comprising nearly 20,000 households, as well as a wider coastal community of about 200,000 people. “This project is ADB’s first significant investment in marine fisheries and represents an important milestone for its Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies,” said Alvin Lopez ADB Senior Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist for Southeast Asia. “It responds to several key government strategies, including the Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries 2015–2024, and the Statement of the Royal Government of Cambodia on Marine Fisheries Management Key Principles (2019) for the management, conservation, and development of sustainable marine fisheries resources.”  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/303/adb-approves-62-9-mn-package-to-cambodia-for-food-security.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/303/adb-approves-62-9-mn-package-to-cambodia-for-food-security.html Wed, 14 Dec 2022 15:12:55 +0530 The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Cross-Border Livestock Health and Value Chains Improvement Project will directly benefit at least 40,000 households. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $62.9 million package to help Cambodia enhance food security and promote inclusive economic growth by improving livestock health and value chains, and the formal trade of livestock and livestock products. The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Cross-Border Livestock Health and Value Chains Improvement Project will directly benefit at least 40,000 households in Kampong Cham, Otdar Meanchey, Prey Veng, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Takeo provinces by boosting investments in critical infrastructure, institutional and technical capacities, and enabling policies. It will also develop infrastructure in Kandal, Kampong Thom, and Pursat provinces to meet nationwide needs for veterinary vaccines and artificial insemination. The project will enhance the productivity and resilience of the livestock subsector by reducing risks from transboundary animal diseases, zoonoses, and antimicrobial resistance; build up animal health monitoring and service delivery; improve food safety; and promote subregional cooperation in the GMS. The project will be financed by a $50 million loan from ADB’s concessional resources, a $12 million Asian Development Fund (ADF) grant, and a $900,000 grant from the Climate Change Fund (CCF). The ADF provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries (DMCs) while the CCF aims to strengthen support for low-carbon and climate-resilient development in DMCs. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will provide a $43 million loan to the project, which will be partly administered by ADB. “The livestock subsector is crucial to sustainable rural livelihoods and food security in Cambodia, and it offers many opportunities for smallholder farmers, including women, and small- and medium-sized agribusinesses,” said Ancha Srinivasan ADB Principal Climate Change Specialist for Southeast Asia. "Nearly all cattle and buffaloes are owned by smallholder farmers, although pig and poultry production is increasingly becoming commercialized. ADB’s assistance will enable the subsector to tap into high growth potential brought about by increasing domestic meat consumption resulting from economic growth, urbanization, population expansion, trade opportunities, and progressive improvement in disease control and animal nutrition.” The project is in line with the government’s national development plans and ADB’s country partnership strategy for Cambodia, 2019­–2023. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/207/cambodias-phka-rumduol-jasmine.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/207/cambodias-phka-rumduol-jasmine.html Fri, 18 Nov 2022 12:50:34 +0530 Phka Rumduol, a long-grain jasmine rice, previously won the award four times. Cambodia’s Phka Rumduol jasmine variety has been honoured as the World’s Best Rice at the Rice Trader World Rice Conference in Phuket, Thailand. Cambodian rice has won this award fifth time. Cambodian Rice Federation’s President Song Saran made the announcement. Phka Rumduol is one of the long-grain jasmine rice that has emerged as a top choice of international buyers and is one of the varieties exported under the Angkor Malys certification mark. Phka Rumduol had previously won the award four times, for three consecutive years from 2012-2014, and then again in 2018 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The jasmine variety took second place three years in a row from 2015-2017. The government of Cambodia has been promoting the country as a ‘rice basket’ and a major rice exporter. In Cambodia’s agricultural sector rice accounts for 70 per cent and around 50 per cent of the agricultural sector output. Rice production in Cambodia has significantly increased during the last 20 years. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/146/cambodia-plans-1-billion-cashew-export-every-year.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/146/cambodia-plans-1-billion-cashew-export-every-year.html Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:00:26 +0530 Cambodia’s Cashew Federation (CCF) necessarily boost the export of cashews above $1 billion every year. CCF has decided on the target according to Cambodia’s National Policy in Cashew Nuts for 2022-2027. The newly launched CCF looks after investments, processing and export of raw cashew nuts. CCF also will work as a coordination and supporting body to promote Cambodian Cashews in production and marketing in the interest of local producers, processors and exporters.   The new National Policy on Cashew Nuts was drafted by the Ministry of Commerce to boost capacity to grow, store, process, package, market distribute and export cashew nuts to international markets. The draft of the cashew nut policy is under review and will be approved soon. The policy aims to become the largest producer and supplier of Cashew nuts in the region. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in the first half of this year, Cambodia exported 660,000 tones of raw cashew nuts worth more than $1.077 billion to Vietnam. During 2021 Cambodia exported 937,974.26 tones of cashew nuts worth $1.60487 billion, up by 328.34 per cent by tons and 233.32 per cent by value over 2020. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/135/cambodias-rice-export-up-by-10.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/135/cambodias-rice-export-up-by-10.html Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:43:59 +0530 Cambodia exported 449,325 tons of rice to international markets in the first nine months of this year, up by 10 per cent over the same period last year, according to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF).The Southeast Asian nation made nearly $287 million in revenue from the exports of milled rice from January to September this year, the CRF said. China remained the top buyer of Cambodia’s milled rice, purchasing 198,107 tons, or 44.09 per cent. Cambodia’s 81 per cent of rice exported to the nine countries including China 44.9 per cent , France 14.83 per cent , Malaysia 5.58 per cent , Netherlands 4.65 per cent Italy 2.65 per cent Gabon 2.63 per cent , Brunei 2.44 per cent , Britain 2.25 per cent and Germany 2.08 per cent. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/137/bayer-launches-geodata-driven-early-warning-system-for-late-blight-in-potatoes-2.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/137/bayer-launches-geodata-driven-early-warning-system-for-late-blight-in-potatoes-2.html Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:02:29 +0530 The company has announced a full commercial roll-out in Bangladesh Bayer has launched GeoPotato, a geodata-driven early warning system for late blight in potatoes, and has entered a full commercial roll-out in Bangladesh. It could potentially reach as many as 1 million smallholder farmers in the coming years. Devised by Wageningen Plant Research, Terrasphere, mPower, Bayer and governmental institutions, GeoPotato’s cutting-edge technology employs a sophisticated risk assessment algorithm evaluating many factors impacting crop development on the field– including satellite data, weather forecasts, disease cycles and crop biomass growth – to assess key risk factors for late blight development (susceptible host, conducive environment and pathogen presence) on a highly localised basis. When it predicts a disease outbreak, it sends farmers an early alert via SMS or voicemail, three days before the outbreak is forecasted to occur. It also advises which fungicidal product would be most effective to help growers take action in a fast and efficient manner. After running trials for the last five seasons, GeoPotato was launched publicly in November 2021. To maximise its impact, project partners have reached out to more than 50,000 farmers in key potato-producing areas. Ultimately, they intend to expand it to all of Bangladesh, as well as parts of India, reaching more than 1 million farmers and making a significant step toward Bayer’s commitment to empower 100 million smallholder farmers by 2030. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/136/can-harmful-insects-turn-useful-pollinators.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/95/136/can-harmful-insects-turn-useful-pollinators.html Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:00:10 +0530 An international team of researchers including Florian Etl and Jürg Schönenberger from the University of Vienna, Stefan Dötterl and Mario Schubert from the University of Salzburg, and Oliver Reiser and Christian Kaiser from the University of Regensburg, succeed in providing evidence for an important hypothesis on the evolution and diversity of animal pollination. The hypothesis states that insect flower pests can become useful pollinators during the course of evolution. Botanists call this “antagonist capture”, meaning that plants are able to turn a harmful insect into a pollinator through evolutionary adaptations in their flowers or inflorescences. This theory has now been confirmed for the first time in Syngonium hastiferum, an aroid plant (arum family, Araceae) from Costa Rica. While all other members of the genus Syngonium studied so far are pollinated by nocturnal beetles, Syngonium hastiferum is exclusively pollinated by a hitherto unknown diurnal plant bug species. Interestingly, plant bugs also occur as flower visitors in beetle-pollinated aroids, but only as pests that eat pollen and flower tissue and thus damage the plants without pollinating them. The study offers a new perspective on the evolution of flowering plants and the spectacular diversity of their flowers and their pollinators by providing the first evidence that pest insects can become efficient pollinators through changes in the flowers.  ]]>