Angkor Rice News

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Sep 30, 2011

2011-10-03T19:55:00.000+07:00

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Sep 30, 2011

柬大米出口中国

2011-10-03T11:04:00.003+07:00

By 黄平
16 September 2011

八月十二曰，在洪森总理和中共中央政治局常委，中央政法委书记周永康，及两国其他有关官员的见证下，在金边和平大厦举行了柬中29项经贸合作文件签字仪式。中粮集团副总栽军代表中粮集团，与柬埔寨吴哥农业米较有限公司副董事长周子鸿签署了一千吨大米出口中国的贸易合同。

这个中国首次从柬埔寨进口大米。中粮签订进口大米的合同，也为中国消费者提供又一新的选择，使中国人民有机会认识和品尝最地道的茉莉花香米——这是一种原汁原味，只有在含沙土和干净水质的土地上种植才能散发出芬方香味的大米。而柬农民所使用的都是天然有基肥料，每公顷土地的产量最多也才二吨半。另外，这个品种对土地的选择也很苛刻，若在不达标的土地上种植，虽也会长出谷子，担口味却逊色很多。

柬埔寨吴哥农业米较公司目前拥有全国最大、最先进的大米加工生产设备，本身也是最大的大米出口商，每年都有数万吨大米出口至欧盟、香港等地。

记者曰前特约采访了该公司董事长周显初先生。

周先生不到二十岁就离开家乡贡布省金船县，到柬埔寨西北部的粮仓吴哥比里（该地以前属马德望省，今划分为卜迭棉芷省）谋生，先是在一家碾米厂从学徒做。因为勤奋加聪明，他一路升到秤头、销售等。结婚后，岳父也是当地著名的碾米厂老板谦出口商，这给他曰后在此行业的腾飞打下了良好的基础。

六十年代后期，周先生在金边六支牌自己开设了专营大米的华南公司，同时出口以浩大米至香港、新加坡等地。

周先生说，六十年代柬埔寨全国每年可出口大米五十至六十万吨，马德望一个省生产的粮食除可养活全国人民外，还有剩余出口。当时著名白大米包括 "丝苗" 、" 娘明" 、"茉莉花" 等，华人迷商一般都把一号米出口到新加坡、香港等地，而法国洋行则专门出口二、三号米到非洲。

周先生说，非常高心有机会把柬埔寨最好的大米出口到中国，希望这次真诚的合作能与中国建立起良好的经贸关系。虽然这次签署的合同只有一千吨，担相信今后逐年增加，也相信柬埔寨优良的大米一定会受到中国人民喜爱。

对于卖价，他表示，中国比欧洲进得多，所以价格肯定比欧洲便宜不少。

开拓中国市场后，出口量肯定会增加，公司下一步是否会向农民收购更多粮食？

周先生说，以前与公司签署借谷种合同的农户 ( 会员 ) 只有三万多个家庭，今年已增至七万多个农户会员，这些会员家庭所耕种的土地已达八、九万公顷。另外还有三至四万没有签合同的农民家庭。而对于签合同的会员家庭，公司每年都是借给农民正宗的茉莉花香谷种，供应量为二千多至三千吨。

在问到农民会员是否会把收割后的谷子全部卖给公司时，周先生说，有百分之八十五的农民会按合同把谷子卖给公司，也有少数谷子会流落到其他商人手中。

周先生又说，除了谷种好，公司也会教导农民如何种植，强调使用天然肥料，所以每公顷的产量最多只有二吨半，担价格比普通大米高出百分之六十。

吴哥米较公司在收购谷子时也面对许多困难，比如中间商会提高价格，高价抢购谷子后转卖给泰、越等邻国。

第二是新建的碾米厂越来越多，还有不法商人用假茉莉花米压低价格出口，这样不仅损害优质茉莉花米的良声誉，也压低了出口价。更离谱的，还有人进口泰国米后，再利用欧盟给予柬埔寨的免关税优惠，把大米再转出口到欧盟，这么做不仅损害农民的利益，也破坏纯香米的价格。

但周先生强调，由于柬埔寨吴哥米较公司已经做了几十年的大米出口生意，有成熟的经验，也有固定的顾客和市
场，所以一些歪招并不会影响到公司的正常业务，现在再增加中国这个大市场，公司对未来就更有信心了。他说，公司定会与更多农民展开合作，扩大耕种面积，增加加工设备，争取把生意做到更大。

周先生全家在柬埔寨战争爆发后，于1972年举家搬到泰国曼谷，经过五年的考察和调研后不但加入泰籍，还以自己经验，人脉关系和独到的眼光在泰国经营大米出口生意。

1992年，当柬埔寨经过二十年的战乱后初现和平的曙光，精明的周先生便迫不及待的回到柬捕寨。经过一次又一次的反复研究和筹备，于1999年开始成立公

司。周先生以他的经验了解到，要把大米出口到先进国家就必须有一整套先进的碾米设备，要有优质的谷种，要有一整套管理和出口程序。所以他不惜砸下数百万美金从国外引进一套先进碾米设备。这套设备可保证碾出的大米质量符合国际标准，且每小时碾出量即达到十吨。

今年，周先生又投入更大资金，购入一套每小时可生产30吨大米的设备。

对这次能与中粮签署出口中国一千吨大米的合同，周先生认为很荣幸。比起中国每年由泰国进口二十五万吨大米来，虽然这个合同数量还是很小，担周先生说，刚开始，先式式，将来数量一定会不断增加的。

周先生很有信心地说，他对稻米的种植一直都严格的保质保量，更大的优势是少用化肥，多用天然肥料。他与农民签订的合同也严格信这个原则：一定要生产真正的茉莉花香米。他要使柬捕寨香米在走俏国际市场的同时，也能帮助农民逐步提高自己的生活水平，使各方都在这项事业中获益。

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Sep 16, 2011

2011-09-17T06:37:00.000+07:00

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Sep 16, 2011

中国首次从柬埔寨进口大米

2011-08-28T00:55:00.000+07:00

2011年08月24日21:46  来源：粮油市场报

        本报讯（记者王影影）中粮集团有限公司发布公告称，已与柬埔寨签署了进口1000吨大米贸易合同。这也是中国首次从柬埔寨进口大米。

　　中粮集团8月23日在其公司官方网站发布公告称，8月20日，中粮集团副总裁吕军代表中粮集团与柬埔寨唔哥农业米较有限公司签署了进口大米贸易合同，但并未透出此次交易所涉及的金额和进口大米的价格。

     稻米是柬埔寨重要粮食作物，品质优良，口感上乘，增加大米出口一直是该国政府发展农业的主要目标。据柬埔寨官方数据，2010年柬埔寨稻谷总产量约为825万吨，除了满足国内需求外，约有390万吨稻谷可加工成250万吨大米供出口。由于大米加工设施严重缺乏，柬埔寨只能将剩余的大多数稻谷直接销往越南和泰国。

　　中粮称，此次中粮签订进口柬埔寨大米合同，将为国内大米消费者提供又一全新选择，也为中柬两国经贸发展做出贡献。

　　据发改委公布的2011年粮食进口关税配额量，其中大米为532万吨（长粒米266万吨，中短粒米266万吨），国营贸易比例50%。

　　据海关最新数据显示，今年7月，中国进口大米53180吨，同比增长171%，价格为601美元/吨；出口大米12101吨，同比下降76.6%，价格为646美元/吨。

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Aug 26, 2011

2011-08-28T00:18:00.002+07:00

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Aug 26, 2011

Xinhua: Cambodia's rice export scheme sees good omen with Chinese investments

2011-08-28T00:07:00.000+07:00

PHNOM PENH, August 27 (Xinhua)

Cambodia has seen a positive sign towards achieving its self-imposed target of one million-ton- rice exports by 2015 as the sector has been attracting a number of large investments from China.

In last August, the government launched the rice export policy in a bid to boost the exports of one million tons of milled rice by 2015.

"The main challenges to achieve this target are the shortages of sophisticated post-harvest technologies and capital to buy rice paddy from farmers," Kong Putheara, director of the Commerce Ministry's Planning and Statistics Department, told Xinhua in an interview on Friday.

However, the issues have gradually been broken through as a number of large Chinese firms have signed up to build a hi-tech rice processing plant and to purchase Cambodian rice for Chinese market.

Among those firms is the China Grain Reserves Corporation ( Sinograin) Guangzhou Branch.

The firm signed up on August 16 to buy up to 200,000 tons of milled rice per year from Cambodia and has put its initial investment of 20 million U.S. dollars with a local T.T.Y Corporation to buy rice paddy from farmers to process for the exports to China.

And the China's Yunnan Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a local Soma Group of Cambodia to build a high-tech rice processing plant to process rice for China.

Also, China Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) signed a deal with Cambodia's Angkor Rice this week to buy Cambodian rice.

"A lot of foreign investors have been looking at Cambodian rice potentials, especially China," said Putheara.
"Chinese investors have been leading investments in Cambodian rice sector for now," he said. "Moreover, I believe that China will also be the largest purchaser of Cambodian rice in the future. "

Besides China, he said the Philippines, Brunei, Senegal, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bangladesh has also approached Cambodia for rice purchase despite no deal signed yet so far.

Phou Puy, president of the Federation of Cambodian Rice Millers Associations, said Saturday that currently the country has had only a few modern post-harvest technologies and also had a few large-scale rice storage.

He added that the country's sophisticated rice processing plants are capable to process only about 200,000 tons of rice per year at the moment, so to meet the target of exporting 1 million tons a year by 2015, it needs to be invested other four or five times in modern rice processing plants.

"Therefore, Chinese investment in the rice processing plant is on the right time," said Phou Puy, who is also Chairman of the rice exporter Baitang Kampuchea Co., which invested in a modern post-harvest technology in Battambang province.

The company had exported nearly 20,000 tons of processed rice in the first half of this year, double rise compared to the same period last year.

Puy said the Baitang Kampuchea had also signed a MoU with a Chinese firm for the supply of 10,000 tons of milled rice to China per year and the exports will be starting from next year.

He said his plant is capable to process an average of 130,000 tons of rice per year.

Chan Sophal, president of Cambodia Economic Association, said on Saturday that European countries and China will definitely be the big markets for Cambodian good quality rice in the future.

Cambodian government has simplified procedures for rice exporters; however, the high cost of electricity and transport compared with its neighboring Vietnam and Thailand is still a concern for investors, he said.

Currently, Cambodia has about 35 rice exporters; the country had exported 80,442 tons of good-quality milled rice in the first half of this year, 369 percent increase from 17,144 tons at the same period last year, showed the statistics from the Ministry of Commerce.

However, this country can export only small amount of its milled rice so far due to the lack of sophisticated post- harvesting technologies, storage, and capital to buy rice paddy from farmers; therefore, most of the rice paddies have been sold to Vietnam and Thailand without recycling.

In a year, Cambodia lost about 600 million U.S. dollars from rice production that exported without recycling, Prime Minister Hun Sen said last year during the launch of rice export policy.

Chan Sophal said that the government's rice export policy would broaden and strengthen the foundation of economic growth while accelerating poverty reduction and improving the people's livelihoods through job creations when more rice post-harvest technologies have been built in Cambodia.

With a series of Chinese investment plans in the sector, it's believed that Cambodia will be able to achieve its target of exporting one million tons of milled rice by 2015.

Historical rice deal - Angkor Rice goes to China

2011-08-25T15:22:00.012+07:00

Historical event - Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen , and other senior Ministers of Cambodian government, witness the historical rice trade deal between Cambodia and China in Phnom Penh, Aug. 20, 2011. (picture by AKR)

By AC
20 August 2011

COFCO, a leading grain, oils and foodstuffs import and export group in China and the biggest rice importers and exporters, signs a rice deal to buy the first Cambodian rice from Angkor Rice to China. The first shipment is 100% Neang Malis Fragrant rice, which is the best quality rice available from Angkor Rice.

The contract between the two companies indicates that "it is the first rice business between China and Cambodia".

"COFCO has developed wide sales channels and networks all over China and possesses the top brands of rice and other grain products in domestic market. In order to promote Cambodian rice in China, COFCO will make the full use of its leading position and brand awareness, strengthen the input of marketing and sales promotions, and make their best efforts to gain the accpetance of Cambodian rice among Chinese consumers".

Angkor Rice is a reputable rice producer who produces the best quality fragrant rice. It regularly exports rice to Europe, Hong Kong and Australia. The process to select only the best fragrant rice paddy without mixing cheap rice and its own contracted farmers make the producer different from the other local rice traders in Cambodia. Angkor Rice is expanding its milling capacity and the fragrant rice growing area, with participation in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) intend to reduce green house gases that warming the globe.

Rice is a major stable for Chinese consumers. Although China can produce a lot of rice every year (see stat from USDA), but the volume is still not enough for the domestic consumption especially for the high quality fragrant rice, which can be grown only in some area in Thailand and Cambodia. China imports quality fragrant rice from Thailand approximate 200 millions dollars per year.

The main issue to export to China is not the problem about agricultural pests which can be easily controlled. But the issue is the dishonest sellers who mix low quality rice,but look similar, to high quality fragrant rice and brand it as 100% fragrant rice, Mr. Chieu Hieng, CEO of Angkor Rice said. "They just pack it and brand it as good rice but instead it is cheap rice", he added.

Mr. Chieu Hieng (right) shows Neang Malis fragrant rice to COFCO officers, leaded by vice president Mr. Lv Jun (2nd from left). The trade envoy Mr. Zhou Shanqing (3rd from left), Director of the Dept. of Foreign Trade MOC. PRC. also accompany the group.

Mr. Chieu said that, the buyer is very confident in Angkor Rice, and both of the parties understand very well the commitment to deliver only the top quality rice to the consumers. He also mention about the Cambodian government rice policy that, "I believe with the true intention of Somdech Hun Sen to push for the rice industry that benefit a large scale of Cambodian people will be eventually successful.". (read more about the Cambodian rice policy here)

Source of video clip - TVK News - 20 August 2011

ชาญชัย รักษ์ธนานนท์ นายกสมาคมโรงสีข้าวไทย ขานรับนโยบายรับจำนำข้าวพรรคเพื่อไทย

2011-07-16T00:53:00.000+07:00

ชัยชนะแบบถล่มทลายของพรรคเพื่อไทย ที่จะนำไปสู่การจัดตั้งรัฐบาลชุดใหม่โดยมี น.ส.ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร ดำรงตำแหน่งนายกรัฐมนตรี กำลังถูกจับตามองอย่างใกล้ชิดถึงนโยบายการเกษตร โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่ง "ข้าว" ที่พรรคเพื่อไทยหาเสียงมาโดยตลอดว่า จะเปลี่ยนวิธีการอุดหนุนราคาข้าวจากการรับ "ประกัน" ถอยหลังกลับมาเป็นการรับ "จำนำ"

การเปลี่ยนแปลงนโยบายกลับไปกลับมาดังกล่าวส่งผลให้เกิดแรงกระเพื่อมต่อผู้คนในวงการค้าข้าว โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่ง กลุ่มโรงสีข้าว ในแง่ของการปรับตัวที่จะร่วมกับวิธีการใหม่ ๆ ในการรับจำนำ ท่ามกลางการวิพากษ์วิจารณ์กันว่า นโยบายรับจำนำข้าวของรัฐบาลกำลังเข้าทางโรงสีข้าว ที่เริ่มเก็บสต๊อกข้าวกันยกใหญ่ ในขณะที่อีกฝ่ายหนึ่งเห็นว่า ทั้งการรับจำนำและการประกันราคาข้าวล้วนมีข้อดีข้อเสีย ขึ้นอยู่กับ "ใคร" จะแปรเปลี่ยนนโยบายมาเป็นผลประโยชน์ของตนเองอย่างไร

นายชาญชัย รักษ์ธนานนท์ นายกสมาคมโรงสีข้าวไทย ให้สัมภาษณ์ "ประชาชาติธุรกิจ" ถึงนโยบายการรับจำนำข้าวของรัฐบาลชุดใหม่ว่า ไม่ว่ารัฐบาลจะใช้นโยบายอะไร "ข้าวเปลือก" ทุกเม็ดก็ยังคงผ่านมือโรงสีที่กระจายตัวอยู่ทั่วประเทศอยู่ดี ตอนนี้ทั้งชาวนา-ผู้ส่งออก-โบรกเกอร์ค้าข้าวต่างประเทศ ต่างรับรู้กันแล้วว่า ราคาข้าวขาวของประเทศไทยจะต้องไม่ต่ำกว่าตันละ 15,000 บาท ข้าวหอมมะลิตันละ 20,000 บาท ตามที่พรรคเพื่อไทยได้หาเสียงไว้ โดยราคาข้าวในระดับนี้จะมีผลในอีก 5 เดือนข้างหน้า ดังนั้นเมื่อชัยชนะในการเลือกตั้งเป็นของพรรคเพื่อไทย ราคาข้าวภายในประเทศจึงขยับขึ้นมาทันที

"ผมยอมรับว่า มีการไล่ซื้อข้าวภายในประเทศ ราคาขยับขึ้นไปเรื่อย ๆ จาก 9,000 บาท/ตัน เป็น 10,800 บาท/ตัน ในขณะนี้ และน่าจะไล่ราคาข้าวเปลือกเจ้าขึ้นไปถึง 12,000-13,000 บาท/ตัน ในอนาคตอันใกล้ ซึ่งใกล้เคียงกับราคารับจำนำที่รัฐบาลประกาศไว้ที่ 15,000 บาท ส่วนข้าวหอมมะลิใกล้เคียงกับ 20,000 บาท/ตัน คนซื้อมีทั้งกลุ่มพ่อค้านักเก็งกำไร ราคาส่งออกก็ขยับขึ้นจาก 450 เหรียญสหรัฐ/ตัน ไปเรื่อยจนถึง 700 เหรียญสหรัฐ/ตัน ตอนนี้ใคร ๆ ก็ไล่ซื้อข้าวเข้าเก็บกันไว้ทั้งสิ้น"

ส่วนนโยบายการประกันราคาข้าวของรัฐบาลอภิสิทธิ์นั้น นายชาญชัยกล่าวว่า นโยบายประกันรายได้โรงสีก็เชียร์ แต่วิธีการประกันราคามีข้อผิดพลาดคือ ต้องมีการกำหนดราคาขั้นต่ำ เหมือนเปิดร้านขายข้าวสารให้ลูกแล้วบอกว่า "ลูกขายเท่าไหร่ก็ได้ ที่เหลือเตี่ยจ่ายให้ อย่างนี้ก็เจ๊งหมด แต่เราต้องบอกลูกว่า ขายเท่าไหร่ก็ได้ แต่อย่าต่ำกว่าราคานี้นะ ไม่อย่างนั้นเจ๊ง ผมบอกรัฐบาลเดิมไปแล้ว ถ้าทำอย่างนั้นจะไม่ได้กลับมาเป็นรัฐบาลอีก ได้บอกผ่านท่านไตรรงค์ (นายไตรรงค์ สุวรรณคีรี รองนายกรัฐมนตรี) แต่ทุกคนกลับมองว่าโรงสีขุดบ่อล่อ ก็ไม่มีใครเชื่อว่าโครงการประกันรายได้ของรัฐบาลเสีย 2 ต่อเกือบ 200,000 ล้านบาท คือ รัฐบาลเสียเงินจ่ายชดเชยให้ชาวนา 100,000 ล้านบาท และอีกส่วนหนึ่งเสีย รายได้จากมูลค่าข้าวที่หายไปอีก 100,000 ล้านบาท"

นอกจากนี้ การประกันราคาข้าวที่ผ่านมายังเกิดข้อผิดพลาดในเรื่องของการควบคุมการขึ้นทะเบียนเกษตรกรอยู่ ๆ พื้นที่เพาะปลูกข้าวก็เพิ่มขึ้นมาอย่างพรวดพราด จาก 60 ล้านไร่ เป็น 70 ล้านไร่ ตัวเกษตรกรเพิ่มจาก 3.6 ล้านคน เป็น 3.7 ล้านคน ในประเด็นนี้ นายชาญชัยเห็นว่าตัวเลขที่ เพิ่มขึ้น หมายถึง ชาวนาได้รับเงินชดเชยจากการประกันราคามากขึ้น ทั้ง ๆ ที่ไม่มีผลผลิตข้าวจริง แต่ใครจะกล้าเข้าไปตรวจสอบ แต่ความจริงกลับไม่ได้เป็นเช่นนี้

"ทุกคนมองว่าชาวนาจะได้รับประโยชน์จากเงินชดเชยมีเงินเต็มกระเป๋า แต่เงินจำนวนนี้อยู่กับชาวนาได้ไม่นาน เพราะคนที่รับไปจริง ๆ คือ เจ้าของที่ดิน จากการปรับขึ้นราคาค่าเช่าที่จาก 500 บาท เป็น 1,500 บาท ชาวนาได้เงินมาก็จ่ายเป็นค่าที่ดิน ไม่จ่ายก็ไม่ได้ทำ ส่วนการจะเอาข้าวที่เกินจากการรับประกันรายได้ที่กำหนดไว้ 25 ตันต่อครัวเรือน นำไปขายในท้องตลาดก็ได้ราคาต่ำ ๆ รวมกันทั้งค่าชดเชยและค่าข้าวยังได้ไม่ถึง 10,000 บาท/ตัน แล้ว ผมถามว่า ชาวนาที่ไหนจะชอบนโยบายการประกันราคาข้าวของรัฐบาลอภิสิทธิ์ เพราะขายข้าวได้ไม่ถึง 10,000 บาท จึงเป็นคำตอบว่า ทำไมคราวนี้ชาวนาถึงเลือกพรรคเพื่อไทย เพราะเขาจะได้ราคาข้าวจากการจำนำถึง 15,000 บาทขึ้นไป"

แต่เมื่อนโยบายของรัฐบาลชุดใหม่เปลี่ยนเป็นการรับจำนำตามที่หาเสียงเอาไว้ โรงสีข้าวมีความเห็นอย่างไร

ในประเด็นนี้ นายชาญชัยเชื่อว่า การเปลี่ยนนโยบายกลับมาเป็นการรับจำนำไม่มีผลต่อตลาดข้าวมากนัก เพราะโรงสีรับได้ทั้งสองนโยบาย เนื่องจากโรงสีถือเป็นโรงงานแปรรูปข้าว รัฐบาลจะใช้การประกันราคาข้าว โรงสีก็อยู่ได้ รัฐบาลชุดใหม่เปลี่ยนมาเป็นการรับจำนำก็อยู่ได้อีก แต่ที่แน่ ๆ ก็คือ การประกันราคาข้าวที่ผ่านมาให้ประโยชน์กับผู้ส่งออกข้าวเพียงไม่กี่บริษัท ผู้ส่งออกส่วนใหญ่ซื้อข้าวรัฐบาลไม่ได้จึงเกิดความไม่เป็นธรรมขึ้น

ส่วนปัญหาของการรับจำนำนั้นไม่ได้เกิดจากตัวโครงการ เพราะการรับจำนำข้าวมี 3 ขั้นตอน ข้าวจากชาวนามาออกใบประทวนที่โรงสี ฝากเก็บข้าวเข้าคลัง และระบายข้าวออก ตรงไหนเป็นจุดอ่อนที่สุดก็แก้ตรงนั้น ที่ผ่านมามีกฎระเบียบแต่ไม่มีการบังคับใช้ การทุจริตในโครงการจึงเกิดขึ้น

แน่นอนว่าการรับจำนำข้าวต่อจากนี้ไป แม้รัฐบาลจะเลือกรับจำนำข้าวทุกเมล็ดก็สามารถทำได้ แต่ควรแบ่งข้าวออกเป็น 2 ส่วนคือ ส่วนแรก 30-50% ของปริมาณที่รับจำนำมาขายคืนให้กับโรงสีในราคาตลาด เพื่อให้ตลาดหมุนได้ ส่วนที่เหลือก็นำไปเก็บในคลังของรัฐบาล แต่ไม่ใช่เก็บลืม ต้องมีการสีแปรสภาพข้าวเพราะ 6-8 เดือนไม่แปร ข้าวก็เสื่อม กับส่วนที่ 2 รัฐบาลปรับวิธีการระบาย หนึ่งคือ อาศัยการขายแบบรัฐบาลต่อรัฐบาล (จีทูจี) หรือบาร์เตอร์เทรด นำไปแลกกับสินค้าจำเป็น เช่น ปุ๋ยข้าวตันละ 20,000 บาทเท่ากัน แหล่งผลิตปุ๋ยคือ แหล่งนำเข้าข้าวอย่างฟิลิปปินส์ หรือขายข้าว 1 ปีได้เงิน แสนกว่าล้าน ซื้อน้ำมันใช้ได้ 2 เดือน ทำไมไม่แลก แต่ที่ไม่ทำเพราะมีปัญหาเงินทอน

หากรัฐบาลเลือกแนวทางนี้โรงสีรับอาสาเป็นผู้ปรับปรุงคุณภาพข้าวส่งออกได้ และสอง การระบายผ่านตลาดสินค้าเกษตรล่วงหน้าแห่งประเทศไทย เดือนละ 200,000-300,000 ตัน ทุกเดือน ๆ ใครก็สามารถมาเทรด FOB ก็ทำได้

http://www.prachachat.net/news_detail.php?newsid=1310640654&grpid=no&catid=04&subcatid=

Creed Rice Market Report - June 22, 2011

2011-06-24T16:21:00.001+07:00

20110622 Creed Rice Market Report

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Jun 03, 2011

2011-06-04T13:33:00.001+07:00

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - Jun 03, 2011

Creed Rice Market Report - June 01, 2011

2011-06-02T16:59:00.000+07:00

20110601 Creed Rice Market Report

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - May 27, 2011

2011-05-28T02:16:00.001+07:00

LRI-20110527

Creed Rice Market Report - May 25, 2011

2011-05-26T14:22:00.001+07:00

20110525 Creed Rice Market Report

Bangkok Post: Cambodia eyes Filipino market

2011-05-21T07:39:00.002+07:00

Steve Finch
Bangkok Post
Published: 16/05/2011 at 12:00 AM

Break for byline/break for normal. Nascent rice exporting industry is eager to ship, offering to undercut competitors.

PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has held high-level talks with the Philippines that could result in the country's fledgling rice-export industry competing with Thailand and Vietnam for contracts to supply the world's largest importer.

On the sidelines of the recent Asean Summit in Indonesia, Prime Minister Hun Sen offered to sell rice at lower prices than competitors in a meeting with Filipino President Benigno Aquino, according to a Cambodian government aide. The offer was made in return for investment in Cambodia's under-developed agricultural sector, said Srey Thamrong, an adviser to Hun Sen, who was present during the talks in Jakarta on May 7.

''They expressed their desire to import rice,'' he said, adding that President Aquino told Hun Sen he would appoint a team of government officials to negotiate the arrangement.

The meeting followed a fact-finding mission by the Philippines National Food Authority to Phnom Penh early last month as part of the Aquino government's plans to diversify and reduce spending on rice imports that hit 2.25 million tonnes last year, the highest in the world.

''We are studying the possibility of Cambodia as an alternate source [of imports],'' NFA chief of staff Gilbert Lauengco told the Phnom Penh Post in April. Shipments would start ''at the very latest next year'', he added, although the exact amount and price the Philippines would pay Cambodia is yet to be agreed.

NFA Administrator Angelito Banayo told the Philippines' annual Rice Congress earlier this year the country paid an average US$630 per tonne for rice imports in 2010, or $1.42 billion overall, which represented more than 44% of the Philippines $3.47 billion trade deficit for the year.

This figure is set to fall dramatically in 2011 amid rising rice stocks and improved domestic production in the Philippines, according to government projections, providing tropical storms do not damage crops as has happened in the past in the typhoon-prone country. A Department of Agriculture report showed Philippines rice stocks reached a record 3.08 million tonnes by April 1, up 8% on the same period last year, while rice production climbed an annualised 16% in the first quarter to just over 4 million tonnes.

In response, the NFA has announced plans to slash rice imports to just 860,000 tonnes this year after the new Aquino government accused its predecessors of over stockpiling rice, a move likely to further diminish opportunities for the country's two main suppliers Vietnam and Thailand as Manila also looks to add Cambodia as a lower-cost alternative.

Reports in the Philippines said the government has agreed to purchase 200,000 tonnes from Vietnam this year as part of a rice-supply deal with Hanoi, while Thailand is set to be the main supplier of the country's reduced-tariffs programme with an agreement to ship 98,000 tonnes.

In recent years Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, has struggled to compete with Vietnam to supply the grain to the Philippines after shipments of 500,000 tonnes in 2008 dwindled to 80,000 tonnes in 2009 before climbing again to more than 200,000 tonnes last year. In the past Thailand has said it hopes to ship half a million tonnes of rice per year to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is also set to lose out if the Philippines imports rice from Cambodia, say analysts. The Thai Rice Exporters Association estimates Cambodia supplies up to 1.5 million tonnes of paddy to Vietnam every year, which is then processed and shipped on as official export produce to markets including the Philippines. But during the talks in Jakarta, Mr Aquino reportedly told Hun Sen that Manila was ready to ''remove the middleman'' _ Vietnam _ resulting in lower import prices for the Philippines should Cambodia become equipped to process and ship the necessary quantities of rice, which is not yet the case.

''Cambodia's rice exports are mainly to Thailand and Vietnam at the moment and that is Cambodia's best option while the necessary downstream structures and logistics are not yet in place,'' said Korbsook Iamsuri, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

It remains unclear whether the Philippines will meet Hun Sen's request for the necessary investment in Cambodia's underdeveloped agricultural industry, subject to a formal agreement.

Although Cambodia is currently the world's seventh-largest exporter, it still has a long way to go before it can turn a paddy surplus estimated at just under 4 million tonnes this year into processed rice of a quality ready for shipment given inadequate infrastructure, high electricity prices and a lack of financing options in the industry.

''Hence Cambodian rice is not yet a threat to [the] export markets of both Thailand and Vietnam,'' said Ms Korbsook

Jackson Son & Co - LRI - May 20, 2011

2011-05-21T07:32:00.000+07:00

LRI-20110520

Creed Rice Market Report - May 18, 2011

2011-05-18T09:34:00.000+07:00

20110518 Creed Rice Market Report

Creed Rice Market Report - May 11, 2011

2011-05-12T13:55:00.001+07:00

20110511 Creed Rice Market Report

Creed Rice Market Report - May 04, 2011

2011-05-05T11:33:00.001+07:00

20110504 Creed Rice Market Report

Creed Rice Market Report - April 27, 2011

2011-04-27T14:40:00.000+07:00

20110427 Creed Rice Market Report.

Special Report: Thai Rice Exports Part 1&2

2011-04-27T10:27:00.003+07:00

Part 1

Santibhap Ussavasodhi
National News Bureau of Thailand
25 April 2011

Rice is one of the major export goods of Thailand. However, concerns over Thai rice exports have been ignited upon the upcoming formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 as Thailand might lose rice market, at least in the ASEAN region to its fellow ASEAN friend, Vietnam.

Center for International Trade Studies (CITS) Director Dr Aat Pisanwanich from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce reported the studies on impacts of the AEC formation to the Thai rice market. He elaborated that Vietnam, which is the major rival of Thailand in rice exports, has the chance to take Thailand’s place as top rice exporter to the ASEAN markets if export tariff is cut to 0% in the AEC formation in 2015. He also pointed out that Thailand will be at risk of losing market shares, notably in the Philippines and Malaysia, which are important export targets of Thailand.

Dr Aat indicated that Vietnam will be able to dominate the rice market in ASEAN since qualities of Thai and Vietnamese rice are not much different while Vietnamese rice is cheaper than Thai rice by about 125 US dollars per ton. Taking into account the Vietnamese dong devaluation, he said Vietnamese rice becomes even cheaper than Thai rice. Thailand hence might also lose market shares in Africa in the future.

The director suggested that Thailand should publicize and promote Thai rice, especially premium grades, in upper markets by focusing higher quality of Thai rice among consumers. He also advised that Thailand should set up a panel to study pros and cons of Thai rice upon the AEC formation within three years from now in order to maintain its market share in the global market in general.

In preparation for the AEC, the public sector should urgently educate Thai farmers about the AEC via regional networks, universities and farmer communities since production efficiency should be improved and farmers should have more time to adjust to market demands. Whether Thailand will continue to maintain its grip in the global rice business under the coming integration of ASEAN markets, find out in the second part of this special report to follow, for other problems associated with Thai rice exports and the AEC.

Part 2

Sarun Saelee
National News Bureau of Thailand
25 April 2011

The planned formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 has sparked growing concern among local traders that Thai rice exports will lose market shares to Vietnam. The private sector is, therefore, proposing solutions such as importing rice from neighbors similarly to what Vietnam is doing.

Thai Rice Exports Association Honorary President Chukiat Opaswong admitted that at present Vietnam has been exporting larger quantities of rice and is trying to turn itself into the rice-trading hub of Indo-China and ASEAN region after 2015 when the AEC is established. He pointed out that Vietnam could export more rice as it has been importing rice from neighbours, notably Cambodia which is selling rice surplus from domestic consumption; thereby, Vietnam can keep rice prices cheaper than Thai rice thanks to the larger quantities.

Mr Chukiat suggested that Thailand should adapt itself by using credibility in rice exports and importing more rice to make the country the regional and global hub for rice trade; however, he noted that free trade zoning should be set up to prevent negative impacts on local farmers and mixture of foreign and Thai rice. He cautioned that Thailand might lose the status of being the champion of global rice traders upon failure to take any appropriate action.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce clarified that Thailand is actually importing rice from neighboring countries under the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA); however, only imports of broken milled rice are allowed for industrial production such as noodles and flour, not for direct consumption due to fear for crop mixing problem. In addition, the imports can be approved only at six border checkpoints with adequate inspection to prevent low quality rice and genetically modified rice from mixing with premium rice in Thailand.

Instead of worrying about losing market shares to Vietnam, the Minister suggested that related sides should have paid greater attention to the real objective of the AEC which is to enhance economic cooperation. Hence, it will indeed be better if Thailand and Vietnam cooperate and use the AEC for mutual benefits and turning ASEAN as a whole to be the global hub for rice trade.

VOA: Rising Food Prices Pinch the Poor, a Boon to Farmers

2011-04-23T23:24:00.004+07:00

By Chun Sakada
VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
Friday, 22 April 2011

Rising prices for food and other necessities have cut into the daily lives of many poor Cambodians, even though some farmers say there are benefitting. Prices for beef, pork, fish and vegetables have continued to climb, pinching budgets of many who have seen little adjustment to their earnings.

Peter Brimble, a senior economist for the Asian Development Bank in Cambodia, said that rising food prices are a threat to Cambodia’s goals for poverty reduction, with the poorest spending large percentages of their incomes on food.

However, he said, Cambodia remains a net food exporter, especially with rice, making it somewhat less vulnerable.

Still, a spike in prices has been felt by Cambodians of many walks of life.

Khan Touch, a 36-year-old garment factory worker, told VOA Khmer this week she earns about $90 a month, with overtime, but bills for rent, $35, and utilities, $15, leave little left for food.

“Before, if I had 5,000 riel [$1.25], I could buy enough food for one meal,” she said. “Now if I have 5,000 riel, I can’t.”

Primary school teacher Ma Lay, 48, said her monthly salary of $70 does little in the face of rising prices.

“I can’t buy quality rice to eat,” she said. A third of a kilogram of fish now costs what half a kilogram costs not long ago, she said. Pork prices have doubled.

“My salary has not increased,” she said. “But rising food prices continue.”

Along with food prices, fuel prices are a growing concern for tuk-tuk driver Ha Sa An, 36. Over the past six months, he said, his daily take home has dropped from $7.50 to $2.50.

“The government should think of this problem,” he said.

Minister of Economy Keat Chhon said recently that food prices have become a general concern worldwide. But the rising prices of rice, soybeans and other agricultural goods have been a boon to farmers, he said.

He said the high value of the Cambodian riel has offered a buffer for state and private workers in preventing even high costs.

Var Khan, a 62-year-old cassava farmer in Banteay Meanchey province, said the price of his produce has gone from $0.06 per kilogram to $0.10 per kilogram in the last five months.

“I can earn nearly $3,000 on one hectare of cassava plantation,” he said. “I am very happy for the high price of cassava.”

Chan Sophal, president of the Cambodian Economic Association, said high prices for cassava, corn, soybeans and rice have all helped farmers, even if it hurts consumers.

Farmers that can earn more from their goods are able to save money, expand their production and look for more markets, either locally or for export, he said.

Related News

- Growing Economy at a ‘Crossroads’: ADB / Chun Sakada / VOA Khmer / Apr 6, 2011

- Cambodia Struggling With Paddy Rice Flight / Pich Samnang / VOA Khmer / Jan 31, 2011

- Ministers Approve Regulation for Contract Farming / Chun Sakada / VOA Khmer / Feb 14, 2011

- Rice Experts See Better Prospects in New Seeds / Pich Samnang / VOA Khmer / Feb 27, 2011

Creed Rice Market Report - April 20, 2011

2011-04-23T09:19:00.000+07:00

20110420 Creed Rice Market Report.

Xinhua: Cambodia needs 350 mln USD to achieve its rice export target by 2015

2011-04-17T00:10:00.002+07:00

THURSDAY, 31 MARCH 2011 09:04

PHNOM PENH, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia needs 350 million U.S. dollars to boost rice paddy production and rice exports to hit one million-ton a year from 2015, said a senior finance official on Wednesday.

Of the amount, 200 million U.S. dollars will be used to purchase rice paddy from farmers for processing and 150 million U. S. dollars for building hi-tech post harvest technology, Hang Chuon Naron, secretary of state for the Finance Ministry, told reporters after a seminar on environment, agriculture and development.

"Currently, the country's high-tech rice mills are capable to process only 200,000 tons of rice per year, so to meet the target of exporting 1 million tons a year by 2015, it needs to invest other five times, or around 150 million U.S. dollars, in building sophisticated rice mills," he said.

"So far, we have mobilized about 50 million U.S. dollars from banks and development partners for this task," he said.

The country, in August last year, set up a rice paddy production and rice export policy aiming to increase rice exports in Cambodia to one million tons a year from 2015.

Hang Chuon Naron said that the target markets that Cambodia focusing on are the Europe and China.

Chan Sarun, minister of agriculture, forests and fisheries, said in the seminar that in order to meet the need in foreign markets, the ministry has actively advised farmers to grow ten types of rice seeds that are popular among foreign countries.

"Now the issue that we need to give more attention to is sanitary and phyto-sanitary in order to adapt to international agreements in protecting interests of our trade partner countries," he told the seminar with 150 participants, who are government officials from the ministries of agriculture, commerce, finance, environment, industry, and rice exporters, millers, bankers as well as development partners.

Cambodia produced 8.25 million tons of rice paddy in the harvest season 2010-2011. Of this figure, the country has 3.9 million tons of rice paddies, or 2.5 million tons of milled rice left over for exports this year, said Chan Sarun.

WSWS: Fears of a looming Philippine rice crisis

2011-04-16T08:31:00.008+07:00

By Joseph Santolan
WSWS.org
15 April 2011

The possibility of a serious rice shortage has dominated the Philippine press this past week. On April 12, the Philippine Daily Inquirer ran a banner headline that President Aquino had been warned of a rice crisis in a confidential report issued by the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) in late February. The report, which was leaked to the press, warned of possible food riots, concluding that “the danger of a food crisis in this country is reaching the point that it has now become an issue of national security.”

President Aquino first responded to the article by claiming that fears of a food shortage were unfounded and that the Philippines would have an adequate supply of rice for the coming year. A day later, he announced that the NICA report upon which the article was based was a fraud. The head of the Department of Agriculture held a press conference in which he stated that NICA had never issued such a report to the president and that a conspiracy of rice merchants had produced the phony report in a bid to raise market prices.

The Aquino administration’s disavowal of the NICA report and their allegations of a shadowy cabal of rice merchants engaged in a disinformation campaign do not hold up to scrutiny. Aquino publicly acknowledged receipt of the report in a press conference in late February. The data given in the report as published by the Inquirer were accurate; the conclusions were measured and reasonable. The report warned that a shortage would benefit “a rice cartel that continues to operate in the country.” It advocated that the National Food Authority (NFA) submit a “detailed report on rice availability” and take measures to ensure supply. These conclusions would hardly benefit a conspiracy of rice merchants.

More telling, the unnamed rice merchants that Aquino claims are manipulating the press and the Philippine public, are precisely the beneficiaries of his campaign of privatization. They are the capitalists which he claimed would handle the importation, purchase and sale of rice more efficiently than government. He slashed the NFA budget so these merchant would be unobstructed in their pursuit of profit.
The furor over the possibility of a rice crisis and the Aquino administration’s dismissal of the allegedly fraudulent NICA report reveals the precarious position in which Aquino’s policy of privatization has left the Philippine rice supply.

The National Food Authority was the Philippine government agency responsible for the purchase of a portion of the annual rice harvest from local farmers at subsidized prices, the importation of rice to ensure an adequate supply, the sale of rice at reduced prices for poor families, and maintenance of a stockpile of rice to be used in the event of a shortage. Aquino reduced the budget of the NFA last year to zero, effectively eliminating all of these functions. The rice stockpile was halved from a 30-day supply to 15. The importation of rice was tendered out to private merchants. The subsidized purchase and sale of rice was drastically reduced.

On entering office, Aquino was under sharp pressure from the World Bank and the IMF to slash government spending and to service the national debt. The NFA budget was one of the first items that he targeted. The World Bank quarterly report on the Philippines released on April 8, entitled “Robust Growth, Stubborn Poverty,” singled out the NFA cuts as a positive example of “priority and efficient spending” which “significantly slowed down total public spending.”

The World Bank report praised the Aquino administration’s use of targeted cash dole-outs to poor families to replace the functions of the NFA. This program, dubbed by the Aquino administration Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), gives 1,000 pesos ($US23) a month to poor families to supplement their income provided they meet certain requirements such as enrolling their children in school. These limited hand outs, even assuming they reach the poor families for which they are intended, cannot replace the infrastructure and programs that the Aquino administration has slashed.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) released the findings of its Seventh National Nutrition Survey in February, 2011. They found that more than 50 percent of Philippine children ages 0-5 are malnourished. A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on April 8 showed that 20.5 percent of Filipinos reported that they had experienced involuntary hunger in the past three months. This figure has gone up from 18.1 percent since the last survey results in November 2010. The number of hungry Filipinos is growing.

When confronted with this data, Aquino responded with disbelief, dismissing the survey results. He claimed in the Philippine press that the statistical sample used “did not capture those helped by CCT.” Aquino’s dismissal indicates clearly that he is conceding that there is a poor section of the population which is hungry and unaided by the CCT program. But SWS conducts rigorous, nationwide surveys. This is not an error in statistical sampling. Hunger is mounting in the wake of Aquino’s campaign of privatization and budget cuts.

The Philippines has long been the world’s largest importer of rice. Claiming that he was aiming at making the Philippines self-sufficient in rice production, Aquino ordered the dramatic reduction in imported rice for 2011. From 2.3 million metric tons in 2010, Philippine rice imports have dropped to 200,000 metric tons so far in 2011.

Aquino and the Department of Agriculture are projecting a bumper crop of rice this year in the Philippines. The head of the Department of Agriculture, Proceso Alcala, forecast a growth of 1 million tonnes in the dry season harvest this year. But there are several problems with these claims.

First, Alcala is only examining the data from the northern island of Luzon where conditions have been favorable. The southern islands of the Visayas and Mindanao have had flooding and unfavorable conditions and are projected to have a much lower yield. Second, even the best annual bumper crop in the past decade has only resulted in a growth of one million tonnes over the average. Alcala is projecting this amount of growth for the dry season harvest alone, which is half of a year’s agricultural output. Finally, even if these numbers were accurate and sustainable for the entire year, there would still be a dramatic shortfall from the projected demand. The US Department of Agriculture estimates a shortfall for the Philippines of 1.5 tonnes in 2011. This amount will need to be imported.

Global food prices have soared in the past year. A World Bank press release dated April 14, 2011, indicates that global food prices are 36 percent higher than last year and are highly volatile. Rice has remained the one point of comparative stability while the prices for wheat, sugar, maize and other crops have skyrocketed. Two factors have contributed to relatively constant world rice prices. The first was a good rice harvest in Thailand and Vietnam and the second the dramatic reduction in demand from the Philippines. Both of these factors are poised to change.

A sustained drought in northern China has destroyed at least 40 percent of the Chinese wheat harvest. This shortfall will need to be replaced with rice. The Chinese government has called for higher rice production in the southern provinces, but even the best efforts will not be able to replace the lost grain. Given the astronomical prices of wheat on the world market, the Chinese are looking to import rice.

Rice grown in the United States, largely in California, is a leading contributor to the world rice market. In the past year, 20 percent of US rice land has been shifted away from rice to other crops in pursuit of government subsidies for bio-fuel production.

Myanmar has imposed a ban on all rice exports, so the Irrawaddy River delta, a highly productive region, will not be feeding anyone outside of Myanmar. India has imposed a minimum export price on its rice. Rice can only be exported at over $850 a ton. The current Thai benchmark price for rice is $540. India is contemplating raising this minimum to as high as $1,200 per ton according to the Economic Times of India.

Aquino claims that one of the countries that he is looking to as a potential source of rice imports is Cambodia. Cambodia, while highly fertile agriculturally, has had very limited infrastructural investment. Last year it exported 20,000 tons of rice. This pales when compared to the projected 1.5 million ton Philippine shortfall.

Both Indonesia and Bangladesh have begun massively importing rice. In January, the Indonesian rice importing agency BULOG ordered 820,000 tons of rice, more than four times the expected order. Bangladesh doubled its rice imports to 1.2 million tons.

Japan lost at least 20 percent of its rice harvest to the March 11 tsunami and the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear catastrophe. It will be looking to Thailand for imports as Thai farmers have begun growing the japonica strain of rice that is consumed in Japan.

The world is looking to the harvests of Vietnam and Thailand to sustain this increased demand. However, Vietnam.net reported on April 12, that its coastal provinces were suffering from a potential drought. The annual seawater inundation had left areas up to 25 kilometers from the coast with heightened salinity. Without sufficient rain to dilute the salty soil with fresh water none of this land will be arable for rice.

Bloomberg.com reported on April 8, that Thailand is suffering an infestation of rice planthoppers which are destroying crops. The government has determined not to have a third rice harvest this year, letting the fields lie fallow to kill off the pests. This will slash the Thai rice harvest this year by a third. The Bangkok Post reported on April 12 that no crop insurance will be issued for this year’s second rice harvest. The potential damage from pests is too high.

When the Philippines returns to the world market to import additional rice, as it must given current estimates, it may cause global rice prices to spiral dramatically upward.

Regional governments are preparing for this eventuality by making further inroads against the living standards of the poor. Both the Philippine and the Indonesian government have recently begun strongly advocating that consumers shift from rice to cassava as their primary staple.

Aquino’s administration is also seeking to place the blame for any possible rice shortage on consumers. Filipinos waste three tablespoons of rice every day, Alcala stated. To save rice, Filipinos should take three tablespoons less rice each day. And this to a population where over half the children already suffer malnutrition!

In response to claims that there was a pending rice crisis, the Philippine Senate offered sweeping and unspecified “emergency powers” to the president. Aquino turned down the offer, saying that it was not needed—for now.

As hunger mounts, so will anger. When the majority of the Filipino people can no longer afford to purchase the rice they need to feed their families, there could well be food riots, just as there were in during the rice shortages of 1995 and 2008. And Aquino will return to the Philippine Senate for these emergency powers.

Phnom Penh Post: Mill capacity key to growing rice exports

2011-04-13T11:57:00.004+07:00

Column: The Bottom Line
By Steve Finch
The Phnom Penh Post
April 4, 2011

Cambodia's target of 1 million tonnes in rice shipments by 2015 would place the Kingdom behind China, or in seventh position in the world pecking order of rice exporters based on current volumnes.

To achieve this goal Cambodia need not drastically raise its level of production. Domestic rice output was expected to outstrip supply by 3.9 million tonnes this year. And export levels are growing at at staggering pace, some 2,356 percent in the first half of last year compared to a year earlier. Which meant Cambodia overtook Burma and Uruguay among mid-level world exporters, according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture.

The problem remains milling because farmers simply cannot get the neccessary credit to raise capacity. After milling more than 107,000 tonnes in the first half of last year, Cambodia is already hitting its annual capacity of 200,000 tonnes per year.

To meet its stated goal of 1 million tonnes of rice exports by 2015, Cambodia therefore has to raise milling capacity by five times in four years which according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance will require US$150 million in investment over the same period. If it does not, paddy will continue to spill over the country's borders to Thaland and Vietnam, the two largest exporters in the world where processing capacity is much greater.

In Channy, general manager of ACLEDA Bank, by far the biggest lender to the agricultural sector in Cambodia, said yesterday credit remained the major problem. "This is the most difficult part for entrepreneurs in Cambodia," he said.

Medium-sized companies seeking to borrow between $10,000 and $1 million from ACLEDA must supply finanical information going back three years, he added. Credit worthiness is determined through interviews with friends and local officials which overall leads to a system which is time-consuming and hugely inefficient. Often, companies simply do not hold the required accounting history, said In Channy.

The Government's recent promise to guarantee 50 percent of loans by commercial banks to the agricultural sector will surely help raise financing to the sector, but the real key could be the estrablishment of the country's first credit bureau either by year's end or early 2012.

The Association of Banks in Cambodia will set up the new service with the help of Singapore's Veda Advantage, according to In Channy, which ought to make borrowing much simpler. Banks will be able to share credit information, reducing the work and risk required, which should in turn raise lending appetite.

If Cambodia reaches its target of 1 million tonnes in rice exports by 2015, that would bring in more than $125 million at 2010 prices. The indutry won't compare to the $3-billion garment sector, but with the necessary financing Cambodia would at last have a vital second major export industry.

Creed Rice Market Report - April 13, 2011

2011-04-13T11:35:00.001+07:00

20110413 Creed Market Report

Reuters: Thai rice exporters eye investments in Cambodia-INTERVIEW

2011-04-12T21:13:00.007+07:00

By Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat
Reuters News
Thursday April 14, 2011 04:31:09 AM GMT

THAILAND-RICE/CAMBODIA (INTERVIEW)
* EU initiative offers opportunities for Thai exporters

* Logistics could limit pace of investment in Cambodia

* Cambodia keen to overhaul sector, boost exports

BANGKOK, April 12 (Reuters) - Thai exporters plan to invest in Cambodia's fledgling rice sector, lured by low production costs and tariff-free exports to the European Union, an industry official said on Tuesday.

Cambodia, the world's 15th-largest rice producer caught the attention of Thai exporters because of its growth potential and access to special EU privileges for poor countries, Korbsook Iamsuree, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters.

Cambodia is an interesting country to invest in. The rice quality is OK and there is plenty of land to grow more rice at cheaper costs," she said.

Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, is facing higher production costs and uncompetitive export prices. The country has shipped less rice because Vietnam, the second-largest exporter, is boosting its market share with cheaper rice.

Korbsook said Thailand needed to find ways to cut production costs by looking for cheaper rice from neighbouring countries.

Thai exporters met last week with Cambodia's Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh, who is keen to attract foreign investment in the country's rice industry and boost exports this year.

Korbsook said Thai exporters would be interested in milling rice and exporting them via a Cambodian port in a bid to get tax privileges from the EU rather than investing in rice planting. But the actual value of investments would depend on the development of Cambodia's logistical infrastructure.

Thai exporters had also sought to invest in Myanmar, but abandoned the idea due to the political uncertainty and unconducive investment climate in the neighbouring country.

Cambodia is targeting annual rice exports of 1 million tonnes of milled rice this year, dramatically up from the current volume of about 20,000 tonnes. [ID:nSGE67G0A9]

However, the goal was still small compared to Thailand, which ships around 10 million tonnes and Vietnam, which exports about 6 million tonnes.

Comparison of the amount of rice export of the four rice growing countries

Data Source from USDA / graphic by AKR / Unit in tons of rice

INVESTMENTS SOUGHT

To achieve the 1 million-tonne mark, Cambodia needed foreign investment in milling technology and government support by providing soft loan.

After years of political turbulence, including civil war and the deadly Khmer Rouge era, Cambodia's economy was in tatters by the end of the 1980s, when it produced around 7 million tonnes of rice, most of which was milled and re-exported by Vietnam.

Korbsook said producing and exporting rice from Cambodia would help expand sales in the Euro zone, with firms capitalising on the EU's zero-tariff "Everything but Arms" privileges, which it offers to less developed nations.

Cambodia is looking for foreign investors to boost its milling sector and it has allocated a budget of $23 million to the Ministry of Agriculture this year, up from $3 million in 2010.

However, Korbsook said investment in Cambodia by Thai exporters is not expected to be substantial over the next couple of years, as there were still some obstacles that could push up costs.

"The logistics system is still not ready for exports and that would result in higher costs," she said.

"We expect the Cambodian government to overcome this problem very soon and by that time, investing in Cambodia would be more interesting." (Editing by Martin Petty and Ramthan Hussain)

Document: Seminar on Rice Standard and Regulation workshop, Apr 6, 2011

2011-04-11T11:38:00.004+07:00

Document from a seminar on "Rice Standard and Regulation workshop" arranged by Ministry of Commerce on April 6, 2011

Intertek: Rice-Paddy Information.

Top Thai-Cambodian rice traders meet up - vow greater cooperation on the trade

2011-04-09T11:21:00.004+07:00

Strong cooperation - Executives of Thai Rice Exporters Association and Angkor Rice holding hand together at Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung rice mill, Kandal, Cambodia. - (picture by Angkor Rice)

By AC

31 March 2011

Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA) and Board of Trade of Thailand (BTT) visit Cambodia during 29 - 31 March 2011 meeting top Cambodian government officers and local rice traders to tie closer cooperation on the rice trade between the two countries.

The group comprised of leading Thai rice exporters headed by Miss Korbsook Iamsuri, President of TREA, and Mr. Niyom Wairatpanij, Chairman: Commitee on Neighbouring Countries Economic Promotion - BTT.

The trade envoys have met with H.E. Dr. Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, local Cambodian rice millers and visiting Angkor Rice.

Document: "Workshop on the implementation of the rice export policy", March 28, 2011

2011-04-08T15:30:00.008+07:00

Certificate of Completion.

Phl eyeing to import rice from Cambodia, India and Pakistan

2011-04-06T22:57:00.001+07:00

philstar.com
April 05, 2011 11:33 PM

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine government is keen on sourcing this year's rice imports from Cambodia, India and Pakistan, a senior agriculture official said today.

National Food Authority Administrator Angelito T. Banayo disclosed that he is set to meet with the ambassador of Cambodia on Wednesday for a possible rice supply deal.

"These are just initial discussions. We could buy from (these countries) if the price is right," Banayo said.

The Philippines has an existing rice supply agreement with Vietnam for a maximum of 1.5 million tons of rice. The memorandum of agreement, which was recently renewed by the government, is in force until 2013, when the Philippines expects to be self sufficient in rice.

Just recently, the NFA announced that it bought 200,000 tons of rice from Vietnam under a government to government deal.

For 2011, the Philippines had announced that it will buy 860, 000 tons of milled rice although the figure may go up if local rice production for January to June will not meet the projected production increase of 15.3 percent.

Source: USDA

Creed Rice Market Report - April 06, 2011

2011-04-06T22:31:00.000+07:00

20110406 Creed Market Report

Creed Rice Market Report - April 01, 2011

2011-04-01T12:03:00.000+07:00

20110401 Creed Market Report

Bangkok Post: Toyota joins Huay Chuan

2011-03-30T04:48:00.004+07:00

Joint venture eyed for Cambodian rice

By Walailak Keeratipipatpong

Bangkok Post
Published: 29/03/2011 at 12:00 AM

Toyota Tsusho, the trading arm of Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation, has teamed up with Thailand's Huay Chuan Rice Co to cash in on Cambodia's growing rice industry.

The alliance, which includes Malaysian investors, has been in talks with Cambodian businessmen for a venture that would initially set up a rice mill and processing plant for export.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, managing director of the Huay Chuan Group, said Takeo province on the Vietnamese border is being considered. Takeo is about 150 kilometres east of Sihanoukville, Cambodia's deep-water seaport, which would facilitate shipments.

Cambodia's rice industry has grown rapidly in recent years following the government's policy of promoting exports once local production is sufficient for local consumption.

Mr Chookiat said Cambodia should have four million tonnes of unmilled rice for export this year - 3.5 million tonnes to Vietnam and the rest to Thailand.

"The Cambodian government has opened the market wider to foreign investors, especially those bringing in new technology and R&D for improving the local rice industry," he said.

Cambodia reportedly shipped 900,000 tonnes of rice in 2010, almost double the 500,000 tonnes in 2008. However, the actual volume may be even higher due to inefficient data gathering.

Mr Chookiat said the proposed venture will also consider the next phase - a fully integrated rice operation.

It would develop quality jasmine and glutinous rice seeds, promote higher-quality farming and process the rice for both consumption and use as an ingredient in a vinegar factory.

"The Japanese firm already produces vinegar in Vietnam, but supply problems are prompting them to seek new sources," said Mr Chookiat.

Toyota Tsusho earlier met with Huay Chuan Rice to discuss a possible joint investment in rice-based products such as flour and crackers for domestic consumption and export to Japan.

But last year's political unrest in Bangkok put that project on hold. As well, Japanese investors are unsure of Thailand's rice policy. "There's a risk the new government could reinstitute the rice price pledging scheme, which could result in market and cost instability," said Mr Chookiat, who is also honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

The association will today lead a delegation to Cambodia to promote tighter cooperation in the rice industry.

Other rice exporters including Thailand's largest, Asia Golden Rice Co, are working with Japanese partners to invest in Cambodian rice.

Reuters: Manila must seek long-term rice deals-official

2011-03-28T23:30:00.001+07:00

By Erik dela Cruz

Reuters
MANILA | Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:24am EDT

(Reuters) - The Philippines must secure long-term supply deals with more rice-exporting countries even as it seeks to become self sufficient in the staple food by 2013, the state grains agency head said on Wednesday.
The country, the world's biggest rice buyer in recent years, was in talks with Thailand and Cambodia for rice supply arrangements, similar to an existing deal with Vietnam, said Angelito Banayo, administrator of the National Food Authority (NFA).

"We have to have supply agreements with the major rice exporters so that in case weather disturbances impact on our attempts to be self sufficient, we can run to them for additional supply," he told the Reuters Global Food and Agriculture Summit.

"We have to strive for self sufficiency in rice and other crops, but self sufficiency in one year could be negated by a strong typhoon or any severe weather disturbances in the second year," he said.

At least 20 tropical cyclones enter the Southeast Asian country of more than 94 million people every year. Last year, it bought a record 2.45 million tonnes after a drop in local production due to strong typhoons in late 2009 and a severe drought in the early part of 2010.

Banayo said he has proposed a supply agreement with Thailand, which has been endorsed by the Agriculture department.

"Thailand is assuring they can give us 1 million tonnes. We're looking at a three-year arrangement," Banayo said. "If it works out, then we can seek an extension."

He said a similar agreement with Cambodia was possible.

"We are already in talks and the Cambodians are already studying the proposed memorandum of agreement, although they still cannot commit any volume because of their limited milling capacity," he said.

VIETNAM DEAL

Manila has an existing rice supply agreement with Vietnam covering up to 1.5 million tonnes of rice annually. The deal was extended to 2013.

"I want us to have sources of rice other than Vietnam and Thailand so that I have a wider field to choose from. Perhaps we could also enter into supply agreements with India, Cambodia or even Myanmar," he said.

The Philippines has firmed up plans to import 860,000 tonnes of rice this year, part of a downsized purchase plan involving 1.3 million tonnes for this year's needs. Of this volume, 200,000 tonnes would sourced from Vietnam.

The Philippines aims to further cut its rice imports next year to just half of this year's purchases and to become self sufficient by end 2013.

The private sector has been allowed to buy up to 660,000 tonnes this year, with a government tender for the right to import the grain set on March 23.

Banayo said the country should learn from Indonesia's experience as it seeks to wean itself from rice exports.

"Indonesia was self sufficient a few years ago. Now it is buying heavily in the market," he said. "Self sufficiency is not a permanent thing because it is always subject to vagaries of weather disturbances."

(Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Rosemarie Francisco)

Creed Rice Market Report - March 23, 2011

2011-03-25T09:26:00.000+07:00

Creed Market Report

Bloomberg: Thailand Planning Fewer Rice Harvests in Pest Fight Means Drop in Exports

2011-03-23T21:59:00.002+07:00

By Supunnabul Suwannakij and Alan Bjerga
Blommberg
Mar 23, 2011 6:51 PM GMT+0700

Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporter, plans to reduce planting to curb pests and improve quality, an official from the Thai Rice Mills Association said.

The plan started in October may eventually reduce exports by about 2 million metric tons a year, or about 20 percent of Thailand’s shipments, Pramote Vanichanont, honorary president of the Bangkok-based association, said in an interview, without giving a timeframe. The nation plans to set a global benchmark price through a centralized auction, the government said.

A drop in supplies from the country, which represents one- third of global shipments of 30 million tons, may boost prices in Chicago, which have dropped 3 percent this year, trailing wheat and corn. World food costs rose to a record in February, the United Nations estimates, contributing to riots in Libya and the toppling of leaders in Tunisia and Egypt.

“I doubt whether it is a good policy, as cutting the supply may lead to food shortages,” Kiattisak Kanlayasirivat, a director at the Thai office of Novel Commodities SA, which trades about $600 million of rice a year. “By reducing the supply, this will bring up prices.”

Rice for May delivery gained 0.3 percent to $13.900 per 100 pounds at 7:05 p.m. Singapore time today. The most active contract increased 9.1 percent in the past 12 months as wheat climbed 52 percent and corn advanced 89 percent.

A privately run auction will help establish a global benchmark price that reflects demand and supply, Wichai Phochanakij, deputy director general of the Internal Trade Department, said in an interview. Under existing rules, rice buyers seek bids directly from suppliers and prices for individual transactions aren’t published, he said.

Prevent Pests

Thailand’s plan to reduce planting encourages farmers to grow rice twice a year, instead of the usual three times, farm minister Theera Wongsamut said by phone on March 22.

“The government wants to stop the spread of pests and disease, cut production costs and improve productivity,” Theera said. “Benefits from price increases will follow.”

Removing one crop a year will interrupt the life cycle of pests like plant hoppers and reduce production costs from use of fertilizers and pesticides, Theera said.

The country produces about 20 million tons of milled rice a year, half of which is for domestic consumption. Exports from Thailand may advance as much as 5.2 percent to 9.5 million tons this year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Provide Incentives

“Talk of helping Thai farmers boost productivity, quality and profits is all well and good, but historically they only respond to price signals,” said Tom Slayton, an Alexandria, Virginia-based rice analyst and former publisher of The Rice Trader. “Unless the government can provide incentives, the policy will be ignored and there will be no change in production or export levels.”

Thailand plans to increase exports of premium-grade varieties and reduce shipments of low-quality grain, which represent more than half of exports, said Pramote, who is also a member of the National Rice Policy Committee. The group, headed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, helps set farmer prices and oversee the sale of government inventories.

Thai rice, the benchmark for Asia, declined 6.5 percent this year to $519 a ton on March 16 as overseas demand declined and the new crop from Vietnam pushed prices lower, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association. The price surged to a record $1,038 a ton in May 2008.

Farmers are being encouraged to plant soybeans and green beans -- also known as mung beans -- which act as a natural fertilizer and can be sold in domestic markets as a substitute for exports, Theera said.

Cambodia, Myanmar

If the program fails, the government may consider other measures such as paying farmers not to plant rice, Pramote said.

“We don’t aim to be the world’s largest exporter,” he said March 21. “We’ve learnt from past experiences of being a key player in the market that farmers have been suffering losses because we can’t set appropriate prices by ourselves.”

Rice exports from Cambodia and Myanmar, which have lower production costs, could increase to offset any decline from Thailand, Pramote said. The two countries are Southeast Asia’s third- and fourth-largest shippers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The government plans to increase rice productivity by 10 percent, boosting average yields to 500 kilograms per rai (0.16 hectare) in the crop year starting October 2015, Prasert Gosalvitra, head of Thailand’s state-run Rice Department, said on March 21. That will raise rough-rice output to 34.5 million tons from 31.4 million tons in the current crop year, he said.

Output of high-quality jasmine fragrant rice is expected to surge 20 percent by 2015, Prasert said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Supunnabul Suwannakij in Bangkok atssuwannakij@bloomberg.net; Alan Bjerga in Washington at abjerga@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Poole in Singapore atjpoole4@bloomberg.net

Rice Cooking Clip available!

2011-02-26T23:30:00.004+07:00

By AK
26 February 2011

Releasing of the clip "How to cook fragrant jasmine rice" on YouTube today aiming to promote proper method of rice cooking for anyone new to it.

In the clip you will see all complete process in cooking rice using automatic rice cooker for fragrant rice.

CTN-Internet Talk: Farmer-Farming Show.

2011-02-22T12:57:00.005+07:00

SEA T.V. 19 Jan. : H.E.Yim Chhay Ly visits AKR.

2011-01-31T10:54:00.005+07:00

ចុះពិនិត្យសហគមន៍កសិករ 4ម៉ឺនគ្រួសារ ក្រោមការចងក្រងរបស់ក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់

2011-01-31T09:38:00.036+07:00

Rasmei Kampuchea Daily Newspaper
January 23-24th, 2011

ភ្នំពេញ ៖ ស្រូវគររាប់ម៉ឺនតោន និងស្រូវដាក់ឡានបន្ត

កន្ទុយគ្នានៅមុខក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់

ដែលសហគមន៍កសិករផលិតបាន ហើយបានលក់ទៅ

អោយក្រុមហ៊ុនវិញក្នុងតម្លៃ១៦០០រៀល ក្នុងមួយ

គីឡូក្រាមដែលជាប្រភេទស្រូវផ្កាម្លិះក្រអូបទាំងអស់។

ក្នុងឱកាសចុះទៅពិនិត្យមើលអំពីស្ថានភាពទិញស្រូវ
របស់ក្រុមហ៊ុនដឹកនាំដោយលោកឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី
យឹម ឆៃលី ប្រធានក្រុមប្រឹក្សាស្តារ អភិវឌ្ឍន៍កសិកម្ម
និងជនបទ រួមដំណើរដោយលោក ច័ន្ទ សារុន រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី
ក្រសួងកសិកម្ម រុក្ខាប្រមាញ់ និងនេសាទ និងលោក
សុន គន្ធរ ប្រធានអគ្គនាយកនៃធនាគារជនបទកាល
ពីចុងសប្តាហ៍កន្លងទៅនេះ។

លោកចាត់ចែងក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់
បានរាយការណ៍អោយអ្នកពត៌មានដឹងថា ៖ ដោយ
ម៉ាស៊ីនកិនស្រូវនេះបាននាំមកនៅប្រព័ន្ធគ្រឿងចក្រ
ទំនើបៗយកមកបំពាក់ធ្វើអោយរោងម៉ាស៊ីននេះ
មានសម្ថភាពផលិតអង្ករមានគុណភាពខ្ពស់ក្នុងការ
នាំចេញបាន៣០តោនអង្ករក្នុងមួយម៉ោង។ ក្រុមហ៊ុន
បាននឹងកំពុងទិញស្រូវពីសហគមន៍កសិករបាន
ប្រមាណ៤ម៉ឺនតោន ហើយគំរោងទិញស្រូវបាន
៦ទៅ៧ម៉ឺនតោន ស្រូវនៅឆ្នាំ២០១១ នេះ។ ស្រូវ
ដែលទិញពីសហគមន៍កសិករនេះ គឺជាប្រភេទ
ស្រូវស្ងួតល្អដែលកសិករសម្រិតសម្រាំងមាន
គុណភាពល្អសម្រាប់យកមកលក់ឱ្យក្រុមហ៊ុន។
អង្ករដែលក្រុមហ៊ុនផលិតត្រូវបានវិចខ្ចប់តាមបទដ្ឋាន
បចេ្ចកទេសហើយនាំចេញទៅក្រៅប្រទេសទាំងអស់។

លោកឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី យឹម ឆៃលី បន្ទាប់ពីស្តាប់
សេចក្តីរាយការណ៍របស់នាយកក្រុមហ៊ុនរួច ក៍បាន
អំពាវនាវស្នើរសុំឱ្យក្រុមហ៊ុនធ្វើកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិ
ការណ៍ជាមួយកសិករយើងឱ្យបានល្អ។ ជួយលើក
ស្ទួយតម្លៃស្រូវដែលកសិករយកមកលក់ឱ្យបានតម្លៃ
សមរម្យហើយបានចាត់ទុកថាៈ ក្រុមហ៊ុនបានចាប់
ដៃគូរជាមួយកសិករដោយផ្តល់ពូជ ផ្តល់បច្ចេកទេស
ឱ្យកសិករផលិតស្រូវហើយលក់មកឱ្យរោងម៉ាស៊ីនវិញ
ថាជាប្រការមួយល្អដែលអាចជំរុញចូលរួមចំណែក
កាត់បន្ថយភាពក្រីក្របានមួយកម្រិត ហើយជំរុញការ
ផលិតអង្ករនាំចេញ ក៍ជាការរួមចំណែកលើកកម្ពស់នូវ
កំណើនសេដ្ឋកិច្ចមួយចំទិសដៅស្របតាមគោល
នយោបាយរបស់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល ដែលដឹកនាំដោយ
សម្តេចតេជោហ៊ុន សែន នាពេល បច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ។លោក
ក៍បានកោតសរសើរផងដែរចំពោះក្រសួងកសិកម្មដែល
បានរួមចំណែកយ៉ាងច្រើនក្នុងសកម្មភាពដើម្បីធ្វើអោយ
រោងចក្រដំណើរបានដោយប្រសើរ។

ដោយមើលឃើញការខ្វះខាតទុនក្នុងការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍លើ
វិស័យស្រូវអង្ករសម្រាប់ធ្វើការនាំចេញលោកសុន គន្ធរ
ប្រធានអគ្គនាយកធនាគារអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ជនបទ ក៍អនុញ្ញាត
ផ្តល់ទុនឥណទានទៅលើព២គំរោង។ គម្រោងទី១បាន
ផ្តល់ទុនជាងមួយលានដុល្លារអាមេរិកដើម្បីឱ្យក្រុមហ៊ុន
យកទៅឱ្យសហគមន៍កសិករ សម្រាប់ដាំស្រូវដោយ
ក្រុមហ៊ុនបានផ្តល់ពូជ និងជួយជាបច្ចេកទេសដាំដុះស្រូវ
តាមគោលការណ៍ធម្មជាតិដោយមិនប្រើជីគីមី និងថ្នាំ
ពុល។ ក្រុមហ៊ុននេះបានកសាងចងក្រងសហគមន៍
កសិករបាន៤ម៉ឺនគ្រួសារ ហើយនៅលើខេត្ត៤ គឺខេត្ត
កណ្តាល ខេត្តកំពង់ស្ពឺ កំពត និងតាកែវ។ កសិករផលិត
បានទិន្នផលស្រូវពី២ទៅ៣តោនក្នុង១ហិកតា។

Top Japanese trader signs trade agreement with AKR

2010-12-30T00:53:00.005+07:00

by AC
30 December 2010

Top Japanese trading house signed trade agreement with AKR, paving the way for the two countries for closer cooperation on the agro trade, and turning the rice policy of the Cambodian government into action.

Marubenni's expansion. Picture shows top executive of Marubenni exchange trade information with Mr. Chieu Hieng, CEO of AKR.

Marubenni, a Japanese firm with top trading volumn in agricultural produces, signed a trade agreement with AKR, a leading rice producer in Cambodia, Mr. Chieu Hieng, CEO of AKR reveals.

The Japanese company aims to expand its activity to ASEAN countries, especially in the rice business where the firm already hold a strong position in the agro trade in the world. Marubeni is a long estrablished company (since 1858) with last year trading volumn more than 105 US billion dollars. Her business activities range from energy, machinery, food to finance and real estate.

This agreement will strengthen the position of Marubenni in the rice trade, when it tap to the new world rice supplier, Cambodia.

Prime minister of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, aims to revolt the countries rice industry, previously slow developed, by turning Cambodia to be a quality and reliable world rice/food producer.

AKR is a major quality/reliable rice producer. Estrablished 10 years ago nearby Phnom Penh, it plays a major role, for the private sector, to develope the countries rice industry. AKR is expanding it capacity this year upto 800 tons a day rice milling with a two megawatt rice husk fired power plant to ensure a reliable energy source.

Marubeni executive pointed to the rice bowl that cooked Neang Malis rice with apprciation. The rice cooking test comparing the rice taste from the other rice varieties avaiable in the market.

The Phnom Penh Post: Rice-husk generator to power up villagers.

2010-12-21T10:19:00.024+07:00

The Phnom Penh Post
Wednesday, December 15, 2010

RICE miller and exporter Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung Co., Ltd. will start operating its US$6million rice husk-powered electricity generator next month, its director said yesterday.

Chieu Hieng, Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung director, said yesterday that the kandal province-based firm would sell the excess electricity from its 2.5 Mega-watt generator to surrounding villagers.

“We hope that the electricity machine will not only supply us power for rice processing, but we will also be able to supply electricity power to the villagers around here,” he said.

Meng Sak Theara, director of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy’s Department of Industry, said that the rice husk-powered electricity machines helped increase the Kingdom’s productivity because it was cheaper to run such technology compared with alternative power sources.

“I think using an electric machine powered by combustion of rice husks will enable rice exports to have more competitive prices,” he said.

Chieu Hieng said new power source would see the firm more than double its export capacity. He said about 30,000 tons of rice had been exported so far this year but “when we receive the new power, we will increase our rice productivity for export to 70,000 tonnes next year”.

“We will take this opportunity to process more rice for export in an attempt to help our rice producers earn more income,” he said.

AKR already has an international rice processing machine in Ang Snoul district, Kandal province, where it process rice for export to diverse markets including Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Hong Kong.

The firm said it would use 1.5MW to process the rice, but will sell the other 1 MW to villagers in the area at 900 riel per kilowatt. Normally villagers would pay 1,100 riel per KW from the national grid.

AKR, which can process 900 tonnes of rice per day, began building the new power source in 2009. It invested up to $6 million in the construction of the plant and the land it was built on.

In September, Golden rice Cambodia said it was in the first stages of building a $2 million rice-husk power plant to supply electricity to mills in Kampong Speu province’s Oudong district.

ភ្នំពេញ ប៉ុស្តិ
ថ្ងៃពុធ ទី១៥ ឆ្នាំ២០១០

"រោងម៉ាស៊ីនប្រើថាមពលអង្កាមនៅខេត្តកណ្តាលនឹងដាក់ឲ្យប្រើប្រាស់ខែក្រោយ"

ភ្នំពេញ៖ក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងនឹងដាក់ឲ្យដំណើរការរោងម៉ាស៊ីនថាមពលអគ្គីសនីតម្លៃ៦លានដុល្លារដែលមានកម្លាំង២,៥មេហ្គាវ៉ាត់ដើរដោយថាមពលអង្កាមនៅខែមករា។

លោក ជីវ ហ៊ាងប្រធានក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងខូអិលធីឌី បានប្រាប់ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍កាលពីថ្ងៃច័ន្ទថារោងម៉ាស៊ីននេះ នឹងជួយដល់ប្រតិបត្តិការក្នុងការកែច្នៃអង្ករសំរាប់នាំចេញ។

លោកបញ្ជាក់ថា៖«រោងចក្រអគ្គីសនីនេះមិនត្រឹមតែអាចផ្តល់ថាមពលសម្រាប់បំរើឲ្យការកែច្នៃអង្ករនាំចេញរបស់យើងប៉ុណ្ណោះទេប៉ុន្តែក៏អាចធ្វើការលក់ផ្គត់ផ្គង់ទៅឲ្យប្រជាពលរដរស់
នៅតំបន់ជុំវិញនោះប្រើប្រាស់ផងដែរ»។

រោងម៉ាស៊ីននេះមានទីតាំងសិតក្នុងស្រុកអង្គស្នួលខេត្តកណ្តាល។ លោក ម៉េង សក្កិធារ៉ា អគ្គនាយកនៃអគ្គនាយកដ្ឋានឧស្សាហកម្មរ៉ែ និងថាមពលបានមានប្រសាសន៏ថារោងចក្រអគ្គីសនីនេះ
ជួយបង្កើនផលិតភាពវិស្ស័យឧស្សាហកម្មស្រូវអង្កររបស់កម្ពុជាព្រោះថាតម្លៃថាមពលដែលផលិតបានមានតម្លៃថោក។
លោកបន្តថា៖«ខ្ញុំគិតថាការដំណើរការរោងចក្រផលិតថាមពលអគ្គីសនីដុតអងា្កមនេះនឹងជួយឲ្យអង្ករនាំចេញកាន់តែមានថ្លៃប្រកួតប្រជែងខ្លាំងជាងមុន»។
បច្ចុប្បក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងកំពុងដំណើរការកែច្នៃអង្ករសម្រាប់នាំចេញទៅកាន់ទីផ្សារនានា មានដូចជា ប្រទេសបារាំង អ៊ីតាលី អាល្លឺម៉ង់ អង់គ្លេស អូស្រ្តាលី និងទីក្រុងហុងកុង ។
លោក ជីវ ហ៊ាង ឲ្យដឹងថា នៅឆ្នាំ២០១០ នេះ ក្រុមហ៊ុនបាននាំអង្ករចេញទៅកាន់បណ្តា ប្រទេសខាងលើបានប្រមាណ ៣០,០០០តោន ហើយក្រុមហ៊ុននឹងបង្កើនឲ្យបាន ៧០,០០០តោន នៅឆ្នាំក្រោយ ។

លោកបន្តថា៖ «យើងនឹងប្រើប្រាស់ឪកាសនេះដើម្បីកែច្នៃអង្ករនាំចេញឲ្យបានច្រើន ប្រយោជន៍ជួយដល់កសិករដែលជាអ្នកផលិតស្រូវឲ្យពួកគេមានប្រាក់ចំណូលកាន់តែខ្ពស់» ។

តាមក្រុមហ៊ុនបានឲ្យដឹងថា គេនឹងបែងចែកកម្លាំងភ្លឺង ១ ម៉េហ្គាវ៉ាត់ លក់ទៅឲ្យប្រជាពលរដ្ឋនៅក្នុងតំបន់ ដែលលក់ក្នុងតម្លៃ ៩០០រៀលក្នុងមួយគីឡូវ៉ាត់ម៉ោង និង ១,៥ មេហ្គាវ៉ាត់សម្រាប់រោងម៉ាស៊ីនកិនស្រូវ ៕

Bangkok Post: Cambodia a new Hom Mali rival

2010-12-20T10:31:00.003+07:00

Bangkok Post
13 December 2010

Thai Hom Mali rice could lose market share in Hong Kong to Cambodia, where premium fragrant rice sells at more competitive prices.

Chinese rice traders sample Thai Hom Mali rice at an event held in Si Sa Ket in response to reports that some shipments to China contained other varieties mixed with jasmine rice.

Hong Kong imports 220,000 to 230,000 tonnes, or 10% of the jasmine Hom Mali rice Thailand ships each year.

But the volume of Thai rice to the territory has been falling in recent years, as Cambodia offers lower prices by shipping out of ports in Vietnam, Thai exporters said.

"Cambodian fragrant rice sold in Hong Kong is very competitive at US$800 per tonne, lower than the $1,100 for Thai rice," said Charoen Laothamatas, the president of Uthai Produce, the country's leading Hom Mali exporter.

Thai Hom Mali exports to Hong Kong dropped to 196,100 tonnes last year, down 3% from the year before. In the first 10 months this year, the volume shrank 14% to 135,000 tonnes.

"Cambodia's jasmine rice appears to have the similar fine quality of Thai rice since it also has many locally owned strains and cross-bred varieties, some developed from Thai Hom Dok Mali 105 and Pathum Thani 1," he said.

Its exports have been active in recent years thanks to good productivity and the strong sweet scent of its jasmine rice grown from fertile soil with fewer chemical fertilisers, said Mr Charoen.

Prime Minister Hun Sen forecast earlier that Cambodia would produce 7.5 million tonnes of rice this year, more than enough for local consumption of 4 million, so it plans to export the balance.

Thai Hom Mali rice also must deal with fake Hom Mali being sold in Hong Kong and China.

Because Hom Mali sells at a premium, it encourages traders to copy the trademarks on bags of lower-standard grain, said Mr Charoen.

Hom Mali exports have dropped to 1.82 million tonnes in the first 10 months of the year, down 14% from the same period of 2009.

His company's sales last year shrank to between 150,000 and 160,000 tonnes from more than 250,000 the year before.

To alleviate the problem, he suggests the government classify other Thai jasmine fragrant rice strains in order to offer choices for consumers who don't want to spend as much.

He added the quality of Hom Mali rice, especially the aroma, has been deteriorating due to a lack of investment in research and development of rice breeds and the lack of a zoning system to ensure the grain's properties.

"It is always frightening to learn there are new strains of less fragrant jasmine rice being planted in the Northeast, the region most suitable for growing Hom Mali," he said.

Mr Charoen also urged the government to guard against illegal imports of Cambodian jasmine rice by Thai millers because of the Thai government's income guarantee programme.

Cambodian Business Review: Contract Farming for Rice in Cambodia.

2010-12-14T15:40:00.014+07:00

Cambodian Business Review

May 2010

Volume 6, Issue 5

From the farmer’s perspective, contract farming provides stable market access, credits, extension services, infrastructure and other benefits, but has drawbacks such as limiting the flexibility of farming and marketing.

Based on a survey of rice contract farming for export in Cambodia, this paper uses simple mean comparison, propensity score matching comparison, and switching regression comparison to assess the impact of contract farming on farmers’ performance.

Farmers with larger family sizes, younger and more educated household heads, less asset value, and those with farm locations closer to the highway are more likely to join the contract. The contract farming of non-certified organic rice has a positive impact on farmers’ profitability.

They also suggest that progressive farmers living nears the highway tend to join the contract first, but leave contract farming early, while farmers in more remote areas remain under contract. It appears that the sample former-contract farmers’ profitability did not decline after leaving contact farming as they further intensified their farming systems to produce fro the less chemical conscious market.

Thus, contract farming may be involved in the process of helping subsistence farmers develop into independent commercial farmers.

Contract Farming: Pros and Cons

Contract farming is an institutional arrangement widely adopted in agricultural production. Contract farming represents an agreement between farmers and contractors (mostly processing and/or marketing firms) for the production and supply of agricultural products.

Under contract farming, farmers usually agree to deliver specific commodities in predetermined quantities and to meet predetermined quality standards, while contractors agree to provide production support (e.g., supply of input and provision of technologies) and accept products at predetermined prices.

Contract faming is beneficial to farmers because it opens up otherwise unavailable markets (especially to smallholder farmers), providing materials, technological and financial support, and reducing farmers’ costs and the risks involved in selling products.

It also benefits contractors by allowing them to establish close relationships with farmers and by reducing uncertainties in purchases through predetermined timing, prices, and quality standards.

While contact farming is a conceptually sound institutional arrangement, lack of flexibility is one of its main liabilities, and coordination problems are faced during its implementation.

As contract farmers are often required to grow new crops or adopt unfamiliar farming techniques, they tend to encounter greater production risks. They are also likely to face greater credit risks because of excessive advances, which tend to jeopardize the sustainability of their operations in the long run.
Supports from contractors can help reduce these risks. However, overdependence on a contractor not only makes farmers less adaptive and hence more vulnerable to economic shocks, but also tends to reduce their bargaining power in contract negotiations.

Contract farming may also be biased against poor farmers in remote areas while favoring better-off farmers with extensive land who are living in areas with good infrastructure. Contract enforcement is another major issue.

Farmers may breach the contract by diverting inputs supplied on credit to other purposes or selling outside the contract for higher prices, while contractors may breach the contract (e.g. with unfair quality standards, low quality inputs, poor technical assistance, incomplete purchases, delayed payment, etc.) because of inefficient management or marketing problems.

Contract Rice Farming in Cambodia

The largest contract rice farming operation in Cambodia is organized by Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung Co., Ltd.

Its main business is to export non-certified organic Neang Malis (an aromatic Cambodian rice variety introduced by AKR) to the international market1. AKR has invested about US$8 million in a high-tech rice mill that has a processing capacity of up to 10 tons per hour or up to 30,000 tons per year.

In 2005, the company worked with farmers in four provinces (Kandal, Kampong Speu, Takeo, and Kampot) which were selected based on their ideal agronomic conditions for the cultivation of the Neang Malis organic rice.

At the start of the contract farming operation, only about 100 farmers joined the contract because of a lack of trust in AKR’s contract arrangement as well as the company’s low milling capacity. Subsequently, the total number of contracted households reached more than 40,000. More than 80% of the contract farmers are located in Kompong Speu province.

AKR’s experiences shows that contract farming was generally successful in Kampong Speu province and in some nearby areas in Takeo province. Field observations indicate that the distance from the operation sites to the AKR headquarters is not a factor determining the success of contract farming.

Rather, most of the successful cases were farmers in former forestland and land close to mountains where rice can be produced at higher quality and yield. On the other hand, farmers that are close to AKR (and therefore close to main roads) and have more market experience tend to have higher levels of defaulting on the contracts.

This latter group of farmers is made up of the former contract farmers of the survey. AKR is involved in every stage of rice production and marketing. Its roles include: 1) identifying areas suitable for growing fragrant paddy; 2) establishing farmer associations based on existing commune structures and bringing these under its management; 3) using these associations to recruit farmers; 4) delivering improved seeds and technical advice to contract farmers; 5) monitoring and solving production problems; 6) collecting and purchasing rice output at AKR’s gate; 7) sorting milled and packaged paddy into different types; and 8) exporting rice to international markets, including Europe, Australia and Hong Kong.

Since all steps of production and processing are well coordinated, AKR shortens the supply chain under contract farming and thus lowers transaction costs for rice export, relative to the normal supply chain.According to AKR’s contract arrangement, the company distributes Neang Malis seeds in credit during July and buys back the output from October to January of the following year. This arrangement requires farmers to repay the credit seeds and transport the harvested paddy to the company’s rice mills.

The amount of seeds that farmers need to return, the minimum guaranteed price, and the penalties for contract defaults, are explicitly stated in the contracts. However, while contract farmers agree to obey AKR’s quality control mechanisms, conditions related to production methods are not clearly specified in the contracts.

The contracts also do not clearly state AKR’s liabilities if it does not buy contracted rice at the predetermined prices. The contracts state that AKR is obligated to buy rice from farmers at the minimum price without clearly specifying the terms of purchase in detail.

In practice, AKR often uses technical reasons to reject or lower the prices of rice that farmers have transported to the firm. AKR establishes commune associations to help enforce contracts.

Each commune association consists of a head, a deputy and the village head. The head and deputy are trained by the firm to understand the basic technical aspects of organic farming and the farming of Neang Malis.

Each association routinely observes the progress of its members and reports to the AKR management. The progress report includes every stage o production from plowing, transplanting, water management, and harvesting.

Each association also provides basic technical advice to its members, advises them not to use chemical fertilizers, and helps them grow other crops after the harvesting season. The associations also help members develop mixed or integrated agriculture (e.g., growing vegetables and raising livestock) to increase incomes and reduce poverty.

Commune associations report to AKR any issues related to the production process such as drought, flood disease, insect and other significant issues that affect production. The firm channels its policies through the associations and provides extension services via its agents.

At present, these associations are tightly controlled by the firm and have little bargaining power.

However, the have a promising future and could develop into independent organizations representing the interests of the community.

AKR associations appear to be a good model for community-based development. They provide the basis and experiences for the future development associations in Cambodia where farmers are predominantly smallholders.

On average, contract farmers have larger rice fields and use a higher percentage of their rice fields for commercial purposes. And average contract farmer controls 1.71 hectares of land (including both own and rented land) and uses 1.64 hectares of the land for rice farming, 46% of which is used to plant commercial rice.

An average former-contract farmer controls 1.30 hectares of land and uses 1.26 hectares of the land for rice farming, 26% of which is used to plant commercial rice. An average never-contract farmenr4 controls 1.03 hectares of land and uses 1.02 hectares of the land for rice farming, 5.4% of which is used to plant commercial rice.The low percentage of commercial rice fields for never-contract farmers indicates that most of them are subsistence farmers. On average, contract farmers have a lower harvest ratio (46%) than former-contract farmers (55%) for the entire operation. The difference is even greater in commercial fields.

Compared to former- and never-contract farmers, contract farmers enjoy significant price premiums in their commercial operations. On average, contract farmers can sell their commercial rice at 747 riel per kg, higher then former-contract farmers’ 684 riel per kg and never-contract farmers’ 645 riel per kg.

High rice price is a major factor4 attracting farmers to join the contract, which not only subjects them to strict quality standards but also constrains their freedom in farming activities such as the use of seeds and chemicals.

Former-contract farmers’ average commercial rice price is not significantly different from that of never-contract farmers.

As contract farmers con sell their rice at higher prices, one may expect that hey would have higher revenues, which nevertheless turns out not to be the case. On average, contract farmers’ revenue (per hectare) from commercial operations is 722,000 riel, which is lower than former-contact farmers’920,000 riel but not significantly different from never-contract farmers’684,000 riel.(US$1/-=4100 CR).

Cambodia Daily: Challenges Confront Growth of the Rice Sector.

2010-12-13T14:47:00.009+07:00

Mr. Chieu gave interview to Cambodia Daily reporters

Cambodia Daily

December 2nd, 2010

In August, the government released a new policy aiming to increase rice exports in Cambodia to 1 million tons a year by 2015, up from less than 40,000 tons currently. Despite rising interest from foreign buyers, experts agree that reaching that target will be a challenge due to a combination of high energy costs, Poor irrigation and limited credit availability for farmers and millers to expand.

In an interview with Cambodia Daily reporter Hul Reaksmey and Simon Marks yesterday, Chieu Hieng, chairmen of Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung, Cambodia’s largest exporter of fragrant rice, said the rice sector would only reach its potential if capital investment in the sector experiences a major boost in the coming years and farmers can be convinced to sell to dedicated brokers that ensure a regular supply of high-quality paddy.

Q: Do you believe that Cambodia’s rice sector is capable of reaching exports of 1 million tons a year by 2015?

A: We can reach the target, but we have to prepare from now ….If you ask me how much we can export in the future, I am unable to say. In Cambodia, we lack standardized rice mills. Therefore, if we want to export millions of tons, we need to have exemplar rice in order to meet market demand. If we achieve these twothings, we will be able to export a lot of rice.

Q: What are the major constraints on the expansion of the rice sector?

A: The biggest burden is capital constraints. It’s the biggest issue affecting the sector…….. [The banks] are strict and the interest rates are high. The second issue is related to trading regulation across borders. We do not control the border seriously enough. When rice becomes expensive, neighboring countries will challenge and buy rice paddy from us. If the price drops, the buying stops. This is an irregularity that makes those who have rice mills for export face difficulties.

Q: Is the rice sector capable of convincing banks and microfinance institutions to lend it money in order to fuel its growth?

A: If the government has a policy working on this matter, I think there will be quick progress….. The government should encourage the use of quality seeds …. and stop farmers from growing rice at random and buyer from purchasing rice in an unorganized fashion. If we have a good arrangement to classify the standard of rice, we will sell at a higher price and the market will rise.

Q: Where do you believe most foreign demand for Cambodian rice will come from?

A: The main market will be countries in Asean such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Besides that,we think that demand will come from Eastern Europe and some African countries.

Q: How do you convince buyers from abroad to purchase rice from Cambodia as opposed to the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand?

A: If standards rice mills increase in number to [as many as 300] in the future, Asean countries comprising the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia will come and buy from us. They will have a dependable market. If we don’t have these rice mills, they will not come and buy. They will turn to look for rice in Vietnam and Thailand. More importantly, we have to maintain quality standards.

Q: What is your company doing to ensure that rice quality is always of a high standard when it arrives in paddy from at the factory?

A: We have created an association to distribute seeds in four provinces ( Kandal, Kompong Speu, Takeo and Kampot). In these four provinces, we have between 60,000 and 70,000 families. We have been buying expensive seeds to ensure good quality for nearly 10 years. Sometimes people sell the paddy to other brokers, who bring it to Vietnam and Thailand. These are the circumstances our company faces.

Q: How do you make sure that rice farmers consistently sell to formal Brokers that deliver a reliable supply to your milling company?

A: We cannot do that…Farmers will sell their paddy rice wherever there is a high price.

Q: Do you have any recommendations on how rice exports though Sihanoulville Autonomous Port can be facilitative?

A: In other countries they manage [rice exports] by not allowing shipping companies from increasing and decreasing fees arbitrarily. They have a fixed fee. This is the first thing our country does not yet do. Secondly, we have to select a good container. We will not take any old container before we put our rice in it.

Policy Paper on the Promotion of Paddy Production and Rice Export (kh.)

2010-09-09T07:34:00.008+07:00

Policy Paper on the Promotion of Paddy Production and Rice Export.

2010-09-09T07:30:00.000+07:00

Chieu Hieng's interview on Cambodian rice industry with TVK.

2010-04-26T17:10:00.011+07:00

បទសម្ភាសន៍រវាងលោកអគ្គនាយកក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿង ជាមួយទូរទស្សន៍ជាតិកម្ពុជា អំពីឧស្សាហកម្មស្រូវ អង្ករ នៅកម្ពុជា

ខាងយើងខ្ញុំទាំងអស់គឺ ខិតខំដោយមើលឃើញថាអនាគតរបស់ស្រូវម្លិះ ស្រុកខ្មែរយើងមានអនាគតវែងឆ្ងាយ ធំធេង ។ ដូច្នេះយើងទាំងអស់គ្នាខិតខំ ទាំងផ្លូវចិត្ត ទាំងអីៗទាំងអស់ ។ ខិតខំតាំងពីឆ្នាំដំបូងបំផុត យើងមានសមាជិក ចំនួនត្រឹមតែ ២,០០០គ្រួសារប៉ុណ្ណោះ ប៉ុន្តែសព្វថ្ងៃរហូតមកដល់ឆ្នាំនេះ ឆ្នាំទី១០ យើងមានសមាជិកចំនួនជាង ៣៧,០០០គ្រួសារ មានផ្ទៃដីជាង ៤០,០០០ហិកតារ។ ទាំងអស់នេះ គឺពឹងផ្អែកលើការគ្រប់គ្រងរបស់យើងដែលសំខាន់ នោះ គឺការបំផុសពូជស្រូវ ចែកពូជឲ្យអោយប្រជាជនគាត់ដាំ ។ បន្ថែពីនេះទៀត មុនដាំយើងមាន ភ្នាក់ងារដើរមើលស្រែ និងតាមដាន ចាប់តាំងពីសាប ដល់ស្ទូង រហូតដល់ស្រូវផើម យើងតែងតែមើលរហូត ។ យើបង្កើតសមាគម រួចប្រគល់សមាគមនីមួយដែលមាន ប្រធានភូមិ ប្រធានឃុំ ជួយមើលផង ។ ដូចនេះ ពេលស្រូវដែលដឹកមកក្រុមហ៊ុន យើងស្ទើតែមិនបាច់ ពិនិត្យគុណភាព ព្រោះយើងដឹងថាតំបន់នេះជាស្រូវសមាជិក យើងសុទ្ធសាធ តែម្តង យើងគ្រាន់តែធ្វើសម្ងួត ដើម្បីកិនឲ្យវាឡើងក្រអូប ស្តង់ដារឡើងល្អ ។ ចំពោះតំបន់ដែលយើងដាំ ភាគច្រើនគឺត្រូវស្រាវជ្រាវមើលដី ព្រោះស្រូវនាងម្លិះ ត្រូវជាមួយដីល្បាប់ខ្សាច់ ព្រោះដីល្បាប់ខ្សាច់មានឧស៊ីហ្សែននៅខាងក្រោម ហើយស្រូវនាងម្លិះមានឫសជាង ២០ ស.ម វាបឺតឧស៊ីហ្សែនឡើងមកជួយ ចិញ្ចឹម ឬសវាឲ្យល្អ ម៉្យាងទៀតដីប្រភេទនេះ វាថ្លា វាអត់មានភក់ស វាស្អិត ៕

បញ្ហាទី១ គឺយើងសង្កត់ធ្ងន់លើគុណភាព ហើយគុណភាពនេះយើងក៏តឹងតែង យ៉ាងខ្លាំង ដូច្នេះគឺថាបើសិន ជាគុណភាពយើងបានប្រាកដល្អ ទីផ្សាខាងក្រៅ គេស្ម័គ្រចិត្តនឹងទិញយើង ។ ហើយម៉្យាងវិញទៀត ចំពោះទីផ្សាខាងក្រៅ ខ្ញុំមានទំនាក់ទំនងជាយូរមកហើយ គេស្គាល់យើង បើគេបានឃើញអង្ករ យើងទៅ គឺគេសប្បាយចិត្ត ។ ទី២ យើងក៏បានអញ្ជើញខាងអ្នកទិញមកមើល ប្រទេសយើង ដើរមើលគ្រឿងចក្រ មើលម៉ាស៊ីនយើង មើលដល់កន្លែង ប្រជាកសិករដែលយើងចែកពូជស្រូវឲ្យគាត់ដាំដុះ គាត់ទៅមើល ដល់ស្រែ ដល់អីៗទាំងអស់ គាត់មានជំនឿយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ។ ដូចនេះ ទើបអង្ករយើងលក់ ក៏បានថ្លៃជាងប្រទេសជិតខាង ។ រាល់ថ្ងៃយើងយកតំលៃតាមទីផ្សាប្រទេសថៃ ព្រោះអង្ករម្លិះមានតែប្រទេសថៃជាអ្នកចេញតំលៃ ដូច្នេះយើងដើរតាមទីផ្សា ប្រទេសថៃ ហើយនៅថៃជារៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃត្រូវមានតំលៃចេញមកអញ្ចឹង ។ យើងយកតំលៃរបស់ថៃមកពិចារណា ថាតើខែនេះយើងលក់ក្នុងតំលៃ យ៉ាងណា ថ្លៃប៉ុន្មាន តែទោះបីយ៉ាងណាក្តី ក៏តំលៃរបស់យើងតែងតែ ខ្ពស់ជាងថៃក្នុងមួយតោនពី ៤០ ទៅ ៨០ ដុល្លារអាមេរិក ទៅតាមពេលវេលា ។ នេះដោយសារអង្ករយើងសុទ្ធល្អ មិនលាយ អង្ករយើងគេទទួលស្គាល់តែម្តង ។ ទីផ្សាសំខាន់ គឺទីផ្សាហុងកុង បើយើងបានចូលទីផ្សាហុងកុង គឺយើងទៅ កន្លែងណាក៏បាន ព្រោះទីផ្សាហុងកុងវាសំខាន់ជាងគេ ។ សព្វថ្ងៃនេះ យើងមានទីផ្សា ដូចជា បារាំង អ៊ីតាលី ប៊ែលជីម អេស្បាញ អាល្លឺម៉ង់ ហើយនៅខាងអាស៊ីយើងមាន អូស្ត្រាលី មានហុងកុង ។ យើងមានមិនគ្រាន់ សំរាប់លក់ជូនទីផ្សាទាំងអស់ទេ មិនគ្រាន់សោះ ហើយណាមួយរវាងពី ១ ទៅ ២ឆ្នាំនេះ ខាងប្រទេសចិនបានមកទំនាក់ទំនងយើងយ៉ាងច្រើន និងញឹកញាប់ ព្រោះគេត្រូវការក្នុងបរិមាណច្រើនមែនទែន ប៉ុនែ្តយើងអត់មានសមត្ថភាព ផ្តល់ជូនគេ ។

វាមានការលំបាកយ៉ាងខ្លាំង គឺថាការសំខាន់នោះទីផ្សាត្រូវការបរិមាណ មិនថា ប៉ុន្មាន ក៏គេយកដែរ នេះទី១ ឯទី២ ប្រជាកសិករគាត់ពង្រីកផ្ទៃដីទ្វេឡើងៗ ពី ១ឆ្នាំ ទៅ ១ឆ្នាំ ដូចនេះ យើងត្រូវត្រៀមលុយទុនទៅទទួលទិញបរិមាណ ទាំងនោះ ដើម្បីកិនលក់ជូនទីផ្សា ។ យើងត្រូវប្រើទុនច្រើន ។ ទី៣ យើងត្រូវ មានម៉ាស៊ីនបន្ថែម ១ ឬ ២ខ្សែទៀត ប៉ុន្តែចំពោះថវិកាយើមានការខ្វះខាត យ៉ាងច្រើន ។ យើងមិនដែលបានទទួលពី រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលជួយដល់បញ្ហា ហ្នឹងសោះ ហើយខ្ញុំឆ្លៀតឪកាសនេះ សំណូមពរដល់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល គួរណា ជួយជំរុញទាំងផ្លូវចិត្ត ទាំងអីៗទាំងអស់ឲ្យបានដើរទៅមុខ ព្រោះថាប្រយោជន៍ វាបានដល់ប្រជាកសិករយ៉ាងច្រើន ។ យើងបានរៀបរាប់ប្រាប់គាត់ថា យើងបានបង្កើតសមាគម ចែកពូជឲ្យប្រជាកសិករ ធនាតំលៃទិញ ចូលវិញ ហើយម៉្យាងវិញទៀត គាត់ឃើញប្រជាកសិករ ក្រោយពីដាំស្រូវនាងម្លិះ ជីវភាពគាត់កើនឡើង ហើយណាមួយខាងទីផ្សារក្រៅប្រទេស គេក៏ឃើញថា អង្ករយើងមានគុណភាពល្អ គឺគេពេញចិត្ត កន្លែងហ្នឹងហើយដែលយើង ប្រាប់គាត់ថា យើងត្រូវការទុន ។ មានបញ្ហាស្មុគ្រស្មាញយ៉ាងខ្លាំង គឺនៅពេល ច្រូតកាត់ ឈ្មួញបានលក់ស្រូវរបស់យើងទៅវៀតណាមយ៉ាងច្រើន ទី២ ទុនយើងវាខ្វះខាត ប្រជាកសិករគាត់ពង្រីក ដីដាំដុះឡើង ដល់ស្រូវចំនួនច្រើន យើងលុយវាមិនគ្រប់ទៅទាញទិញពីគាត់មក ដូច្នេះគាត់ធ្វើហើយ គាត់ត្រូវការ លក់ ព្រោះគាត់ត្រូវការលុយ ដល់អញ្ចឹងឈ្មួញកណ្តាលឆ្លៀតឪកាសហ្នឹង ទិញយកស្រូវរបស់យើង ៕

យើងត្រូវការធ្វើយ៉ាងម៉េចឲ្យរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលជួយថវិកាដើម្បីប្រមូលទិញពីប្រជាកសិករ ទី២ ជួយបិទស្រូវល្អៗកុំឲ្យចេញ តែចេញទៅជួលកាលវាពាក់ព័ន្ធដល់ ប្រទេសជិតខាងយកស្រូវយើងទៅលក់វាយតំលៃយើង ។ រឿងហ្នឹងវាពាក់ព័ន្ធ ដល់ខាងម៉ាស៊ីន ព្រោះបើសិនខាងរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលបានជួយដល់រោងចក្រកែច្នៃ ម៉ាស៊ីនឲ្យត្រូវស្តង់ដារ ទី៣ ជួយជាទុនប្រមូលទិញ ហើយទី៤ ខាងក្រសួង កសិកម្មត្រូវជួយជំរុញចំពោះស្រូវដែលទីផ្សាកំពុងត្រូវការ ជួយផ្សព្វផ្សាយជំរុញ ដើម្បីឲ្យវាមានគុណភាពតាមទីផ្សាគេត្រូវការ ។ ចំពោះស្តង់ដារ កាលកន្លង មកស្រូវដែលគាត់ទិញមក គឺសហការទិញរួមៗ ដូច្នេះ ទិញស្រូវ លក់ស្រូវ អត់បានថាទិញស្រូវលក់គុណភាព ។ ដូចនេះ សូមជួយផ្សព្វផ្សាយឲ្យម៉ាស៊ីន ស្រូវទាំងអស់ជួយរៀបចំការប្រមូលទិញ ចែកស្រូវតាមស្រូវប្រាំង ស្រូវវស្សា ស្រូវគ្រាប់វែង ស្រូវគ្រាប់ខ្លីឲ្យបានច្បាស់ ដល់អញ្ចឹងទៅ ខ្ញុំគិតថានៅខាង ទីផ្សាវាអាចមករកឯង ។ ហើយជាសំខាន់ ប្រទេសឥណ្ឌូនេស៊ី ប្រទេស ហ្វ៊ីលីពីន គាត់ត្រូវការអង្ករ ។

ចំពោះប្រជាកសិករគាត់ពេញចិត្តសម្បើមណាស់ ទី១ បើធៀបពីស្រូវដែលគាត់ ដាំស្រូវធ្ងន់រឺស្រូវស្រាលផ្សេងៗក្តី ១ហិកតា គាត់លក់បានតែ ១លានរៀល ប៉ុណ្ណោះ ប៉ុន្តែពេលគាត់ដាំស្រូវនាងម្លិះ គាត់លក់បានជាង ៣លាន ទៅ ៤លានរៀល ។ អញ្ចឹងចំណូលគាត់កើនទ្វេរ១ ជា ៣ ធ្វើឲ្យកើនជីវភាពគាត់ ជួយលើកស្ទួយគាត់ គាត់ពេញចិត្ត និងសប្បាយចិត្តណាស់ ។ជួនកាលគ្រួសារ ខ្លះគាត់មានតែ ១ហិកតាដល់ពេលស្រូវគាត់លក់បានចំណូលច្រើនគាត់ទៅ កាប់ឆ្ការព្រៃពង្រីកដីដាំដុះបន្ថែមប្រហែលជាប់ ២ ឫ ៣ ហិកតា ថែមទៀត ។ សព្វថ្ងៃមួយគ្រួសារមាន៤-៥ ហិកតា ក៏មាន ក្នុងទំហំដីហ្នឹងគាត់រកលុយបាន ច្រើនណាស់ក្នុង១ឆ្នាំៗព្រោះស្រូវនាងម្លិះធ្វើតែ ៤ខែប៉ុណ្ណោះ ។ ចំពោះចំណូល របស់គាត់ ធ្វើឲ្យគាត់ប្រែពីផ្ទះស្លឹកទៅផ្ទះក្បឿង ពីផ្ទះក្បឿងតូច ទៅផ្ទះក្បឿងធំ ក្រៅពីហ្នឹងមានគោយន្ត... ឥឡូវមានធូរធារច្រើនណាស់ ៕

CAMBODIA: Future Growth Rate of Rice Production Uncertain

2010-04-08T15:18:00.006+07:00

By Michael Shean
USDA
January 26, 2010

CAMBODIA: Future Growth Rate of Rice Production Uncertain
Cambodia has recently re-entered the world market as a rice exporting nation, following a 30-year hiatus caused by war, political isolation, and a decimated agricultural sector. A resurgence of rice cultivation is occurring all across the nation’s vast lowlands, as the rural population expands and previously abandoned or mined farmland is brought back into production. Rice production growth in Cambodia over the past 10-12 years has been surprisingly strong, increasing at a 9 percent annual growth rate. At the same time, rice exports have increased from zero in MY 2000/01 to an estimated 800,000 tons this year (MY 2009/10). Given the country’s recent success in achieving surplus rice production, the Cambodian government is intent on expanding its production and export capacity and becoming a major rice export nation. Public statements by government ministers in the last year indicate that Cambodia wants to double rough rice production by 2015 to approximately 15.0 million tons (9.45 million milled basis) and export 8.0 million (5.0 million tons milled rice). Although it is apparent that Cambodia has all the required natural resources (ample land and water) to make this possible, serious constraints plague the nation’s rice sector and its future growth potential is uncertain. Analysts from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the Economic Research Service, and the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh investigated rice production prospects in Cambodia and the outlook for continued growth in the sector during recent travel in the country.

Rice Production Environment
It is generally believed that rice has been continuously cultivated in Asia for over 10,000 years, having been first domesticated in eastern India and the lowland plains of Southeast Asia. In Cambodia today, rice is the overwhelmingly predominant food crop, being grown on an estimated 2.3 million hectares or nearly 85 percent of the country’s total cultivated area. The rice cultivars grown are incredibly diverse, with crop scientists estimating there are over 3000 varieties being cultivated in the country. Cambodia is roughly the size of Oklahoma (69,900 square miles) and has a vast central alluvial plain devoted to rice farming. This large lowland plain is dissected by several major rivers, including the Mekong and Tonle Sap, and is covered by ancient, highly-weathered and relatively infertile soils. The lowland plain itself surrounds a very large wetland area, and includes Cambodia’s largest inland water body, Tonle Sap lake or “Great Lake.”

Rice is grown over a diverse landscape, and encompasses four major rice producing ecosystems (Rainfed Upland, Rainfed Lowland, Deepwater or Floating Rice, and Irrigated Dry Season or Recession Rice). The predominant growing environment is the rainfed lowland rice crop, which accounts for over 90 percent of total wet season crop area. The country’s rice growing regions experience distinct wet and dry seasons, with the majority of the national crop being cultivated during the summer monsoon wet season. Roughly 80 percent of national rice production occurs in the wet season (86% of total rice area), with 20 percent produced in the predominantly irrigated dry winter period (14% of total area). The rainfall pattern is highly erratic, with drought and floods being regular occurrences (often in the same season). The government estimates that approximately 27 percent of the wet season rice crop is at least partially irrigated, while the dry season crop is essentially fully irrigated. Government irrigation figures are reportedly inflated to some degree, given they classify recession rice acreage as being irrigated (though the water source is actually receding floodwaters), and also include areas with non-functioning irrigation systems. Information about Cambodia’s rice production is difficult to obtain and is sometimes crudely estimated. Various organizations have issued reports on the topic and data is frequently conflicting. It was attempted in this report to use the most reliable information available and attribute information to its source.
Cambodia’s population is currently estimated by the Ministry of Planning’s National Institute of Statistics (NIS) in the 2008 Population Census and by the World Bank at roughly 14.0 million, and is growing rapidly (1.7% per annum). Approximately 80 percent of the population resides in rural areas and 71 percent are estimated to be solely dependent on agriculture (largely rice cultivation) for their livelihoods. The average farm size in the country varies by region and population density, with the largest in the northwest provinces at 2-4 hectares and smallest in the southeast at 1-2 hectares. In the crowded southern Mekong River region, farms often average less than 1 hectare, but nationally farm size averages approximately 1.2 hectares.

Rice farmers in Cambodia are predominantly subsistence producers, with the World Bank estimating only 40 percent of growers are generally capable of generating a marketable surplus. Average national rice crop yields are among the lowest in Southeast Asia, despite a decade of very strong growth following the gradual adoption of improved varieties and expanded use of irrigation. Chemical fertilizer use is extremely low and native soils are often very infertile. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimates that Cambodia has the lowest rate of fertilizer use for rice in Southeast Asia, with only about 30 percent of total area receiving even minimal applications. Virtually all land fertilized receives well-below recommended levels of nutrients. The majority of farm producers do not have officially documented land titles, and therefore have diminished capacity to secure affordable lines of credit for either crop production or land improvements (irrigation). The severe shortage of agricultural credit in Cambodia is crippling rice producers capacity to continue to increase productivity and output, due to their inability to adequately finance purchases of improved higher-yielding seed, fertilizer, pesticides, farm machinery, and grain storage equipment. Expansion of cultivated acreage is also becoming problematic owing to a gradual decline in the rural labor force. An expanding national economy has resulted in a net migration to urban areas in recent years, and rapidly increasing rural labor costs. Farmers, government officials, and development authorities indicated that there was a critical manpower shortage during periods of peak demand for rice cultivation (planting, transplanting, harvesting) and that further growth in national acreage would require a substantial increase in farm mechanization.

Recent Growth
USDA estimates marketing year 2009/10 Cambodian milled rice production at a record 4.63 million tons, up 2.4 percent from 2008/09 – the fifth consecutive record harvest. Over the past 12 years national rice production has more than doubled, rising 110 percent over the period from a level of 2.2 million tons in 1998/99. The scale of improvement in the past 5 years has been unprecedented, with average milled rice production reaching 4.2 million tons or a 74 percent increase over the previous 10 year period (when production had already recovered to pre-war levels). The unusually strong recent growth has been attributed by both private and public sector officials to a significant increase in cultivated rice area (26 percent) and crop yields (40 percent). Government statistics indicate wet season crop area and production expanded 2.2 percent and 7.2 percent per annum respectively, while dry season area and production increased by 5.5 percent and 10.5 percent.

The expansion of rice area was largely achieved by gradually bringing abandoned or idle farm lands back into production, while small amounts of forested land was also converted by slash and burn farmers in upland areas. Prior to the Vietnam and Cambodian wars, national rice area was estimated at approximately 2.4 million hectares. During the peak war years the rural population was decimated by periods of extreme warfare, political oppression, starvation, and genocide. Cultivated rice area was estimated to have averaged under a million hectares during the 1970’s, representing a decline of approximately 70 percent. Gradually, following the restoration of peace in Cambodia after the successful culmination of the Paris Peace Talks in 1991, the rural population began to grow again and repopulate the countryside. Only as recently as 2004 has cultivated national rice area returned to the levels common in the 1960’s.

According to a wide range of public and private sector rice industry and research officials interviewed during USDA’s rice tour, several other factors played a major role in the country’s rice production success story over the past decade. Chief among these were a considerable expansion of the nation’s irrigation infrastructure, increased use of improved high yielding rice varieties, and the intensification of the crop cycle through introduction of double-cropping in the main wet season. Collectively, these advancements catalyzed a dramatic increase in national rice crop yields, which rose by 54 percent between 1998/99 and 2008/09.

According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM), national irrigated acreage increased by nearly 650,000 hectares or 162 percent between 1996-2007, though these estimates are to some degree exaggerated owing to the inclusion of recession rice acreage (sown on land as annual floodwaters recede) and land where irrigation systems are broken and inoperable. Irrespective of the actual irrigated area estimate, it is evident that a significant increase in overall irrigated rice acreage has occurred, and that this infrastructure has definitely contributed to the strong recent growth in national rice yields. The government has made a concerted effort to acquire international loans and grants to expand the reach of its national irrigation infrastructure, and this effort has born fruit in the rice sector.

In addition, scientists at the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) report that there has been a significant increase in the adoption of improved high-yielding rice varieties by Cambodian famers in recent years. CARDI estimated that roughly 40 percent of all rice acreage was under improved varieties in 2008, a 25 percent increase over levels achieved in 2003. Research officials indicated that CARDI was officially established in 1998, and that it focused on enhancing yields in traditional varieties grown in the country. It was also reported that a considerable grass-roots effort on a regional level to demonstrate the improved yield and grain quality attributes of new CARDI-developed varieties was finally taking hold, with new farmer inquiries outstripping available seed supplies.

One of the most important means through which Cambodia has achieved its strong recent rice production growth has been through modifying the traditional summer wet season cropping cycle, and bringing much more land under an intensive double-cropping regime. Historically, the great majority of rice farmers sowed and harvested a single annual rice crop. However, following the re-establishment of peace in the country, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Australian Agency for International Development quickly repatriated native Cambodian seed varieties lost in the war years, while also introducing high-yielding short season varieties (maturing in 120 days or less) capable of revolutionizing the rice cropping cycle. These initial steps at revitalizing the genetic rice stock in the country and rapidly increasing rice production potential in the main summer growing season put Cambodia back on the path toward rice self-sufficiency. As of 2008 CARDI reported that three-quarters of all summer rice acreage is cultivated with improved high-yielding short-season varieties, enabling farmers to grow two-three crops in a single year. The net result of improving the varietal stock cultivated in Cambodia, creating the capacity to double-crop in the wet season, and expand irrigated rice area was to dramatically boost national crop yields. According to official government statistics, wet season rice yields have doubled since 1990 while dry season crop yields have risen approximately 54 percent.
Land Resources and Irrigation
Cambodia is blessed with ample land and water resources, which if properly developed and managed can be harnessed to expand its agricultural sector, increase rural incomes, and improve the national economy as a whole. With a rapidly growing, impoverished, and largely agrarian population, Cambodia would benefit greatly from development that would result in optimally productive use of the land. The total land area of the country is estimated at over 18.0 million hectares, with only 2.7 million hectares or 15 percent currently being devoted to agriculture (predominantly rice farming).

As of 2004, the nation’s forest lands were estimated by the World Bank at 8.0 million hectares (44.5 percent of total land area), down 5.1 million or 39 percent from levels recorded in 1970. The illegal extraction of timber has been rife for decades, while clear-cutting of land devoted to forest or agricultural concessions has also contributed to the significant reduction in the nation’s forest resources. The second largest land use behind forest cover is actually land devoted to economic concessions, or private sector company development. The concessions are typically located on previously forested or degraded Government (State-owned) land and often devoted to plantation-style industrial agro-forestry production of trees suitable for building material, pulp and paper, or for rubber. Cassava production is the single largest product grown from land concessions devoted to agriculture, with total field crop agricultural concessions estimated to be only 0.8 million hectares or 21 percent of total concession lands.

The fourth largest land use category in the country in terms of land area is scrub land. This land category is widely distributed and contiguous to both existing cultivated farmland and forest. The scrub land as defined in the table above was formerly tropical forest before rural landowners and/or loggers harvested the bulk of the timber. Much of the non-forested scrub lands visible in satellite images of the country have already been allocated for use as economic concessions, though the World Bank reported at least 1.7 million hectares remain intact. The location of these lands on the periphery of all the major crop land and populated areas in the country is not unexpected. Recent reports from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) highlight the fact that an estimated 92 percent of the population relies on firewood for cooking fuel, and that projects to provide alternative fuels are a major focus of environmental programs in the country.

The Cambodian government wants to double rice production in the next 5 years and radically boost its commercial international rice exports. These goals will be virtually impossible without an expansion of the country’s irrigation infrastructure and a significant increase in cultivated rice area. The potential arable land area of the country has been estimated at roughly 3.6 million hectares by respected international authorities, though officials in the Cambodian government (National Institute of Statistics) have argued that up to 6.0-6.5 million hectares could potentially be converted to agricultural use. Cambodian agricultural development officials have also indicated they believe rice area itself could be expanded to approximately 3.5 million hectares, an increase of roughly 1.2 million hectares or 52 percent. No matter what the most realistic figure is, it is apparent that a large portion of existing non-forested scrub land would have to be targeted for agricultural conversion should the government follow-through on its rice sector development plans. Any significant agricultural expansion would in turn cause considerable additional pressure on the remaining forest lands, as the population seeks new sources of building material, fuel and fodder. Cambodia has essentially boxed itself into a land use and environmental quandary by allocating over 20 percent of its national land area to privately-held industrial forest and agricultural concessions, many of which have 99 year leases. As it is, these vast concession lands are the only real buffer between areas suitable for agricultural conversion and the country’s remaining tropical forests. At some point, given the government’s agricultural expansion intentions, these lands will become a source of contention between social development forces and those of commercial interests.

As indicated earlier, the nation’s irrigation infrastructure has been gradually growing over the past two decades. This has been a major focus of the government in terms of enabling farmers to achieve higher crop yields, reducing vulnerability to drought, stabilizing rice production potential, and increasing national food security or self-sufficiency. Despite this growth, Cambodia’s irrigation resources remain significantly under-developed. In comparison to similar rice cultivation environments in the lowlands of Thailand or the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, Cambodia has barely scratched the surface in regards to bringing higher concentrations of rice land under irrigation. In Cambodia, MOWRAM estimates that approximately 24 percent of the country’s rice land is irrigated. By comparison, 50-75 percent of the land in the lowlands of south-central Thailand and southern Vietnam has been successfully brought under irrigation after decades of investment and development.

The Cambodian government recognizes that its goal of joining the ranks of the world’s major rice export nations will require considerable additional development of its irrigation infrastructure in the heavily populated southeastern Mekong River floodplain and in the lowlands surrounding Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s “great lake.” The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) has reported that they successfully brought approximately 650,000 hectares of rice area under irrigation between 1996 and 2007, and have plans and finance sufficient to irrigate an additional 800,000 hectares over the next decade. The government has had a very proactive campaign in recent years to acquire financial assistance (grants and loans) from international donors and foreign governments for major construction projects directed at the agricultural and energy sectors. In total, MOWRAM acknowledged that it had received commitments totaling US $1.1 billion for irrigation infrastructure development, with an additional US $850 million pledged in October 2009 from the Chinese government for the construction of dams (hydro), irrigation, roads, and port upgrades. The roughly two billion dollars in pledged development assistance has the potential, given it is leveraged wisely, to substantially alter the status quo in the agricultural sector. Cambodia is one of the poorest nations in Asia, and this scale of investment in a country the size of Oklahoma, if not squandered on ill-conceived or poorly implemented projects, could help underpin additional agricultural and economic expansion.

Future Constraints
It is apparent that Cambodia has sufficient land and water resources to theoretically enable sustained long-term expansion of its agricultural production capacity, including the rice, agro-forestry, fisheries, and livestock sectors. However, as with all national-scale development initiatives, the devil is in the details, and it is uncertain whether the government can succeed in maintaining recent growth rates. USDA employees touring the country uncovered or observed significant constraints that are presently plaguing the rice production, milling, and export capacity of the country. These problems are fundamental obstacles or limitations to future growth, and there is a need for government policy, programs, and budgets sufficient to address them. The government has prioritized achievement of a massive irrigation infrastructure construction program over other approaches that would support other rudimentary agricultural or rural economic and development needs. As a result, the areas/issues outlined below will likely remain long-term impediments to Cambodia’s future rice production potential.

Core Constraints to Rice Production Growth:

• Extreme under-funding of agricultural crop extension programs
- Severe lack of educated and experienced extension officers
- Severe insufficiency in on-farm technology transfer and farming systems training and assistance
• Significantly inadequate funding for scientific agricultural research
- Government relies almost totally on international donors for crop research
- Recent research funding crisis may cripple CARDI activities
• Extremely low production and availability of improved rice seed
- 2,000 tons of certified seed produced annually
- Sufficient for only 1.2 percent of national rice area
- Private company producing seed may be financially challenged
- Inability to increase production and rural distribution
- Improved seed uptake and usage rates threatened

• Virtually complete lack of commercial farm credit system
- Crippling lack of credit affects both producer and milling/export industries
- Lack of affordable credit ensures underinvestment in production capacity
- Farm mechanization (planters, harvesters) and industrial machinery (mills, grain dryers, storage facilities) severely inhibited
- Usage levels of improved seed and fertilizer severely inhibited
- Only 10% of farmers have land titles, inhibiting access to commercial credit at affordable rates
- Extremely low mechanization rates owing to lack of farm credit
•Rice crop yield growth rates stagnating
- Easy yield improvements already accomplished
- Double-crop acreage stagnating over past 10 years
- Farmers lack capital to regularly (annually) refresh planting seed stocks
- New cultivars require more fertilizer, irrigation, and improved agronomic management – farmers lack needed capital/credit/training
•Irrigation expansion threatened
- Poor engineering plagues many existing systems
- Almost total lack of system maintenance owing to expensive and unpopular farm-level user fees
- Systems developed in regions with unsuitable soils or other physical problems
- Many systems are not sustainable over a 10-20 year timeframe
- Lack of farm credit inhibits affordability of on-farm irrigation equipment (pumps, fuel) and tertiary access (feeder canal construction)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that total current annual Cambodian government outlays for agricultural programs (except irrigation development) in 2010 account for roughly 1 percent of the national budget. This is despite 80 percent of the population being rural, with fully 71 percent being totally dependent on agriculture for its livelihood. Lack of sufficient government funding and focus severely constrains current and future agricultural research and extension activities throughout the country. Both CARDI and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (MAFF) need substantial increases in government funding, as well as effective management oversight, if they are to expand and enhance crop and farming systems research, farm-level agricultural extension (technology transfer), and improved certified seed (IR) production and distribution - possibly subsidizing IR seed costs to farmers.

The establishment of a national farm credit system, and a radical increase in the titling of agricultural lands, so that the average farmer has adequate access to credit and the ability to invest in production enhancements (equipment, IR seeds, crop inputs, labor, irrigation, grain storage, land improvements), should be made a priority. Plans for expanding irrigation should be implemented in a gradual sustainable fashion. This means learning from past mistakes and correcting broken, mismanaged, or ineffective systems that already exist. There is also a need for the development of an effective and well-financed rural irrigation engineering and credit system designed to aid producers in on-site maintenance of current irrigation systems, as the lack of sustainability of the core infrastructure is a major long-term problem. There is also the need to take a sober look at the feasibility of expanding its arable lands, and the trade-offs in future land use which will have to be made with existing finite land resources. Greater focus on these major endemic underlying issues in the agricultural sector, combined with effective programmatic responses and adequately funded agricultural extension and research, are essential to ensure the success of the government’s plans to double rice production in the near future. A continued overriding focus on major infrastructural investments without equal or greater attention paid to the other agricultural or rural economic and development needs is likely to hinder further development of Cambodia’s vaunted agricultural growth potential.

Current USDA area and production estimates for grains and other agricultural commodities are available on IPAD's Agricultural Production page or at PSD Online.

For more information contact Michael Shean michael.shean@fas.usda.gov (202) 720-7366
USDA-FAS, Office of Global Analysis

TVK news: H.E Keat Chhon visits Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung Co., Ltd.

2010-03-30T08:38:00.008+07:00

TVK News

January 15, 2010

H.E Keat Chhon, Vice prime minister and minister of economic and finance, H.E Oun Ponmoniroth, Delegated minister escorting prime minister and H.E Son Kun Thor, Chairman of RDB, monitoring the activities of buying paddy and rice milling for export at Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung Co., Ltd located in Angsnoul district, Kandal province on January 15, 2010.

Prime Minister Hun Sen giving speech about rice industry.

2010-02-19T15:30:00.008+07:00

25 January 2010
Koh Kong, Cambodia

H.E.Keat Chhon visits AKR, Rasmey Kampuchea

2010-01-20T14:59:00.057+07:00

ឯកឧត្តម គាត ឈន់ អញ្ជើញទៅពិនិត្យ និងស្វែងយល់សកម្មភាព ប្រមូលទិញស្តុក និងកែច្នៃអង្ករសម្រាប់នាំចេញរបស់ក្រុមហ៊ុន នៅស្រុកអង្គស្នួល ខេត្តកណ្តាល

ភ្នំពេញោ :យោងតាមរបាយការណ៍របស់ក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់បានឲ្យដឹងថា ក្នុងមួយឆ្នាំៗក្រុមហ៊ុននាំអង្ករប្រភេទនាងម្លិះខ្មែរទៅកាន់ក្រៅប្រទេស ជាពិសេសទៅអឺរ៉ុប ចំនួន ២០.០០០តោន ក្នុងរយៈពេលជិត ១០ឆ្នាំមកនេះ ។

គិតត្រឹមថ្ងៃទី១៥ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ២០១០នេះ ក្រុមហ៊ុនបានទិញស្រូវស្តុកទុកឃ្លាំង ចំនួន ១៥.៥៨០ តោន និងទិញចូលបន្ថែមថ្ងៃទី១៥ ខែមករានេះ ចំនួន ៥០០តោន ក្នុងតម្លៃប្រមាណ ៣៨០ដុល្លាអាមេរិកក្នុង១តោន ដែលជាប្រភេទស្រូវ ក្រអូបនាងម្លិះ និងស្រូវឆ្មារព្រំ សម្រាប់កិនអង្ករលក់ចេញទៅកាន់ទីផ្សារបរទេស ដូចជា ប្រទេសអេស្ប៉ាញ បារាំង អាល្លឺម៉ង់ និងស្វីស នៅខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០១០ ខាងមុខនេះ ក្នុងតម្លៃ ១តោន ១.០៨០ ដុល្លាអាមេរិក ហើយស្រូវដែលក្រុមហ៊ុនប្រមូលទិញទាំងនេះ ជាស្រូវរបស់កសិករដែលជាសមាជិកសមាគមអភិវឌ្ឍន៍កសិកម្មនៅខេត្តកំពង់ស្ពឺ កណ្តាល តាកែវ និងកំពត ។

ដើម្បីធានាបាននូវប្រសិទ្ធភាពនៃការប្រើប្រាស់មូលនិធិទ្រទ្រង់ និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍វិស័យកសិកម្មនៅ ឯកឧត្តម គាត ឈន់
ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងសេដ្ឋកិច្ចនិងហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ ដែលជាប្រធានក្រុមប្រឹក្សាគោលនយោបាយរបស់មូលនិធិទ្រទ្រង់ និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍វិស័យកសិកម្ម ឯកឧត្តម អួន ព័ន្ធមុនីរ័ត្ន រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីអមនាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី និងឯកឧត្តម សុន គន្ធរ ប្រធានអគ្គនាយក ធនាគារអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ជនបទ បានអញ្ជើញចុះស្វែងយល់សកម្មភាពប្រមូលទិញស្រូវស្តុក និងកែច្នៃអង្ករសម្រាប់នាំចេញរបស់ ក្រមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់ ស្ថិតក្នុងស្រុកអង្គស្នួល ខេត្តកណ្តាល កាលពីថ្ងៃទី១៥ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ២០១០ កន្លងទៅនេះ ។

មានប្រសាសន៍នាឪកាសនោះ ឯកឧត្តម សុន គន្ធរ បានឲ្យដឹងថា ធនាគារអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ជនបទនិងពិនិត្យ លទ្ធភាពផ្តល់ទុនដល់ក្រុមហ៊ុន អង្គរសកិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់ បន្ថែមទៀតក្រោមគំរោងទុនរបស់ធនាគារជនបទ និងធនាគារ វិនិយោគ និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ កម្ពុជា ។

នាឪកាសនោះដែរ ឯកឧត្តម គាត ឈន់ បានកោតសរសើរ និងគាំទ្រចំពោះក្រុមហ៊ុនអង្គរកសិកម្មរុងរឿងចំកាត់ ដែលបាន ធ្វើការនាំចេញអង្ករនាងម្លិះខ្មែរ ទៅកាន់ក្រៅប្រទេស ជាពិសេស អឺរ៉ុប ។ ឯកឧត្តមបានមានប្រសាសន៍ថា រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល នឹងខិតខំស្វែងរកទុនបន្ថែមសម្រាប់គាំទ្រដល់ការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍វិស័យស្រូវ-អង្ករ កម្ពុជា ៕

ឃ្លាំងស្តុកស្រូវទុកសម្រាប់កិនអង្ករនាំចេញទៅកាន់ទីផ្សារបរទេស

Source: Rasmey Kampuchea 16 January 2010

15 associations meet up today, all pledge to support AKR

2009-11-09T14:02:00.006+07:00

9 November 2009

Happy for everyone, all chief of associations agree to sell paddy to AKR.

A meeting between Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung (AKR) and her associations takes place today with satisfactory outcomes. The list of the associations as followings has come for the meeting in AKR.

Phnom Srouch district: Prey Kmeng, Moha Sang, Ou, Prey Ramdoul, Tang Sya
Samrong Tong district: Tumpoar Meas, Tang Krouch, Thommada Ar, Khtum Krang
Borsedth district: Svay Ramphea, Tuol Sala
Odonk district: Cheung Roas, Yutth Sameakki, Prey Krasang, Peang Lvea

During the meeting, the chief of associations show gratitude for the continuous support for the Neang Malis rice growing. Chief of Tang Saya association, Mr. Mea Chim said "I am happy to coopearate with the company. We are glad that the company help buying the rice production. The company does buy the paddy at a good price."

While chief of Tang Krouch, Mr. Chuan Cha said "we are very happy to work with the company, and as a result, we will inform our head villages not to sell the paddy to the middle men."
The cooperation between the farmers and Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung has reach the year 10 already. According to the statistic told by Mrs. Soeung Kolap, a representative of AKR, the total rice members from the said associations are approximately 10,000 families and the total rice production is around 20,000 tons.

In this occasion, his excellency Lu Lay Sreng, ex-deputy Priminister and Minister of Ministry of Rural Development, also witness the meeting between the associations and Angkor Rice as well.

Rice fragrance all over the rice field

2009-10-30T15:40:00.008+07:00

30 October 2009

Rice visiting shows quality crop all over the Angkor Rice field

A regular field visit of Angkor Rice staffs today reveals quality rice field is ready for harvesting. Today AKR's staffs visit Tang Saya, Moha Sang, Tumpua Mea and Tang Krou commune in Phnom Srouch and Samrong Tong district Kampong Speu province. Meetings between the associations and AKR staffs have taken place. During the meeting the farmers said they are ready for the harvest, "We are ready for the harvest, we will deliver all the products to Angkor Roongroeung and we will follow all the policy the company says" Mr. Hong Chon, president of Moha Sang association said.

AKR's staff also visit the member rice field. Mr. Srun Bun Than, senior officer of AKR, said that the rice is all over the rice field. "Neang Malis rice is full over the rice field area, the people are very happy because of the production and the support of the company"

Miss May Sineth, agriculture expert of AKR, also comment about the rice field. "We have a good production this year, we can see that the rice tree is perfect. The rice grain is big and the fragrance is strong"

Farmers visiting AKR reveals healthy crop this year

2009-10-20T14:13:00.010+07:00

20 October 2009

Regular meeting between Angkor Rice and the members show good sign of Neang Malis crop this year.

Mr. Chieu Hieng, chief executive officer of Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung, arranged meetings with farmer members during the last month of this rice season before the harverst. The meetings aim to exchange information between Angkor Rice and the Neang Malis rice growers.

Mr. Chieu told our reporter that the crop so far is good "the rain is enough for the rice field this year, thanks to the lastest monsoon"

During a meeting, the chief of commune Preah Sre said that "We have been working with Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung for 9 years already". "We don't want to sell to the Vietnamese paddy traders, eventhough they give the better price for a 100 riel per kilogram but their weight scales are less than 60% of the actual weight".

The farmers during the meeting also express their continuty support of Angkor Rice, "We expect to sell all of our rice to Angkor Kasekam, they have never cheat for the scale. We will also promote our neighbouring communes to grow the Neang Malis rice".

Mr. Chieu expects that the total Neang Malis rice growing this year will be more than 400,000 tons from the 4 provinces middle of Cambodia. "The cooperation between the farmers and Angkor Rice is stronger every year" he added.

Preah Sre farmers at AKR

Farmers from Prey Khmeng visiting AKR (28 Oct 09)

USDA representatives pay a visit to Angkor Rice

2009-10-14T20:40:00.004+07:00

14 October 2009

Miss Debbie Rubas and Mr. Um Bunna, Agricultural Economist on rice from U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) visit Angkor Rice today.

The mission of the representatives is to gather information about the rice sector from Cambodia. Mr. Adisorn Chieu, a representative of Angkor rice, has welcomed the delegates and provide market intelligence on the rice business and including the prospect of the industry.

Malaysian Investment to Angkor Rice

2009-10-10T00:06:00.004+07:00

We are proud to announce that CAV Private Equity Management Sdn Bhd, the investment arm of CIMB group from Malaysia has successfully invest in our Company, Angkor Kasekam Roongroueng Co., Ltd. The deal was successful since last May 2009.

This will create strength in our rice business which, as a result, benefiting Angkor Rice's farmer members and our rice consumers.

The cooperation has seen by us as long term benefit to Cambodia and the tie between the two countries, Malaysia and Cambodia as well.

Adisorn Chieu
Exectuive Director

Welcome to Angkor Rice blog

2009-01-23T22:01:00.000+07:00

We are proud to create this blog in order to provide information about Angkor Rice and our company activity.

This blog will be linked to our original website at Angkorrice.com

You can contact us by e-mail at angkorrice@hotmail.com

Best regards,

Chieu Hieng

Managing Director

Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung Co,. Ltd.