Climate Change Threatens Cashew Exports Goal
Suy Kokthean, vice-president of the Cambodian Cashew Nut Association (CAC), spoke of his concern at a Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and European Union media visit and study tour on the cashew value chain. Photo: ThmeyThmey25
- By Nhek Sreyleak
- November 29, 2023 8:10 PM
PHNOM PENH – Climate change threatens Cambodia’s ambition to become the world’s top exporter of cashew nuts, a cashew association leader says.
Suy Kokthean, vice-president of the Cambodian Cashew Nut Association (CAC), spoke of his concern at a Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and European Union media visit and study tour on the cashew value chain.
“Climate change is an unpredictable issue while cultivation techniques are no longer a major issue for farmers,” he said.
The association believed in the government’s national policy on becoming the leading cashew exporter. “We also actively engage and implement in accordance with the policy,” he said.
“We could not have come this far without the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, which plays a crucial role in assisting sustainable cultivation techniques.
“And the Ministry of Commerce, which helps in expanding potential markets for cashew nuts to global markets.”
He said the Ministry of Agriculture, CAC and partner organizations had collaborated in developing cultivation techniques and management so that farmers could harvest before the climate changes.
Kokthean said about 100,000ha of cashew nut had been cut down due to climate change. However, cashews were planted on another 50,000ha this year.
In the first ten months of 2023, Cambodia produced about 651,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts, of which 615,000 tonnes, worth $831 million, were exported to Vietnam.
This was 16.7% down on the same period last year due to climate change and the rise of cashews processed by local enterprises.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.
