Cambodia’s exports to China have repeatedly hit new highs in the past 10 years, and China has become the largest exporter. At present, Cambodian rice, bananas, and mangoes have been exported to China. Since 2012, the export of rice to China has repeatedly broken new highs, even surpassing the historical threshold of 300,000 tons; bananas have successfully knocked on the door of the Chinese market in the past three years; since the official signing of the export agreement for mangoes, In just one year, it broke through the 200-ton export threshold and became the second largest exporter after Vietnam.
In the last month, there has been good news about the export of Cambodian agricultural products to China: 120 tons of frozen durian pulp in Preah Vihear has successfully obtained the export qualification, 50 tons of durians have been successfully exported to China, and the remaining 70 tons are being delivered one after another; Pailin longan The inspection and quarantine assessment has entered the final stage and will be exported to China in August and September
Rice is Cambodia’s first agricultural product exported to China. Cambodian jasmine rice first knocked on the door of the Chinese market in 2012. In the past 10 years, China has successfully ranked first among more than 70 Cambodian rice importing countries and regions in the world, becoming the largest export market for Cambodian rice.
According to the official report of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Cambodia, in the first half of 2022, Cambodian rice was sold to 51 countries, with an export volume of 327,200 tons, a year-on-year increase of 16.6%, and an export value of US$279 million. Among them, China’s export volume reached 168,280 tons, a year-on-year increase of 17.4%. (On September 28, 2012, Cambodia and China signed the “Rice Export to China” Agreement)
China is still a huge market for Cambodian rice. In the past 10 years, according to incomplete statistics, from 2014 to 2021, Cambodia exported over 1 million tons of rice to China. a record high.
In addition to rice, banana exports are also gaining momentum. As the first fruit variety in Cambodia to enter the Chinese market, Cambodian bananas took the lead in exporting 100 tons to China in May 2019. In 2021, Cambodia exported nearly 377,000 tons of fresh bananas to China, accounting for 89% of the total export volume, and China became the largest exporter of Cambodian bananas. (On August 2, 2018, Cambodia and China officially signed a banana export agreement)
After successfully knocking on the door of the Chinese market, the field of banana planting in Cambodia has grown by leaps and bounds. There are no quota restrictions on the direct export of Cambodian banana products to the Chinese market, which has driven the field of banana planting and export in Cambodia.
On March 10, 2021, the Chinese side will review the registered orchards and packaging plants through video. On April 26, the General Administration of Customs of China officially announced the list of 37 registered orchards and 5 packaging factories for Cambodian mangoes exported to China. So far, Cambodian mangoes have officially become the second fresh fruit that can be directly exported to China after bananas. (On June 9, 2020, China and Cambodia signed a protocol for exporting fresh mangoes to China)
Data from the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries show that from January to October 2021, Cambodia exported a total of about 222,200 tons of fresh mangoes and mango products, a year-on-year increase of 155.9%. Including 202,141.81 tons of fresh mangoes, 15,651.42 tons of dried mangoes, and 4,400.89 tons of mango pulp. In the same year, among the Cambodian mango export market, the Chinese market also attracted much attention.
According to the report, China is second only to Vietnam in the export of fresh mangoes, reaching the import mark of 215.98 tons; nearly 80% of Cambodia’s dried mangoes are sold to the Chinese market, totaling about 12,330.54 tons. All the mango pulp was sent to the Philippines and China, of which 148 tons were exported to China.
The export of Cambodian agricultural products to China has attracted much attention, revealing market opportunities. So, where did these Cambodian agricultural products go after they were successfully exported to China?
At the 18th CAEXPO in 2021, Cambodian jasmine rice shines brightly, attracting many exhibitors to stop and inquire. As the star product of the Cambodia pavilion, jasmine rice has a sweet, glutinous taste and sweet taste. It has been exhibited at the China East Expo for 12 consecutive years and is well received by the market.
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According to the East Expo News Agency, with the help of the platform of the China East Expo, the sales of Cambodian jasmine rice have increased year by year, from more than 20 million yuan at the first exhibition, to more than 100 million yuan in 2021, and the brand’s popularity and reputation have been continuously improved. From 2016 to 2021, “Siem Reap-Cambodia Jasmine Rice” has been recognized as the designated product of the China-ASEAN Expo for 6 consecutive years.
With the help of the China-ASEAN Expo, Cambodian rice has gradually become well known and accepted by Chinese consumers. Cambodian fragrant rice has been circulated in 9 provinces in China. Nowadays, there is high-quality Cambodian rice on supermarket shelves in many provinces in China. Cambodian rice can be seen not only in offline stores, but also on major online e-commerce platforms, and the sales volume is very high.
Cambodian bananas taste sweet and glutinous and are very popular among Chinese consumers. In the first year, the Chinese market has become an important driving force for the development of the Cambodian banana industry. On May 28, 2019, the reception ceremony for Cambodian bananas exported to China for the first time was grandly held in Shanghai Longwu Fruit Wholesale Market. The first batch of 5 containers with a total of 100 tons of bananas officially entered the market and will be sold through supermarkets, e-commerce, and other platforms. The retail price is about 6 yuan per kilogram. In the future, Cambodia is expected to become China’s largest banana importer and will effectively fill the domestic market vacancy.
In April 2021, the General Administration of Customs of China announced the list of registered orchards and packing plants for Cambodian mangoes exported to China. Among them, there are 37 Cambodian mango orchards and 5 packaging factories that have been approved to enter the Chinese market, which means that Cambodian mangoes will have a place in the Chinese fruit market.
So, where did the mangoes from Cambodia go to China? Since the first shipment of Cambodian mangoes to China on May 19 last year, the first batch of Golemi mangoes totaling 147 tons entered Qinzhou Port, Guangxi by sea, and successfully landed in the Chinese market. It is planned to be sold to Beijing, Henan, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Shandong, etc. land.
The person in charge of a Chinese-funded mango packaging factory revealed that compared with ordinary sweet mangoes, Cambodian dried mangoes with moderate sourness and sweetness are more likely to be welcomed by the market. Gaolemi mango varieties are moderate in size, suitable for sweet and sour taste, thick meat and small core, high dry matter content, and unique flavor. The processed dried mangoes have bright color, sweet and sour taste, and good chewiness. Well-known Chinese brands such as “Yoyo Orchard”, “Three Squirrels” and “Bean Bear” supply dried mangoes, which are very popular among consumers.
China and Cambodia overcome the difficulties of the epidemic and exported high-quality products to China to a new level. Although the new crown epidemic runs through 2021, there is still “good news” in the field of China-Cambodia agricultural cooperation. Since the new crown epidemic, global import and export trade has been affected. However, China and Cambodia overcame many difficulties such as the epidemic, and completed the remote inspection and quarantine of pangasius and longan through video and other methods.
Today, in addition to Cambodian jasmine rice, bananas, and mangoes, Cambodia’s Mekong Basa fish, Pailin longan, and other Cambodian high-quality fishery products will soon be on the Chinese “table”.
Cambodia is dominated by agriculture, but the export of agricultural products has always been the “heart disease” of Cambodians. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, the leaders of the Cambodian government and the rural farmers in Cambodia have been eagerly hoping that China can import more agricultural products. China imported a large number of agricultural products from Cambodia, benefiting Cambodian farmers, which not only created employment but also increased their income.
Of course, China has not lived up to its expectations and will continue to help Cambodia overcome difficulties. From rice to fresh fruit, China and Cambodia have broken through layers of difficulties, and have continued to break through the milestones of friendship and cooperation to new heights. It is believed that in the future, even though China and Cambodia are separated by thousands of miles, the Chinese people will still be able to taste durian, fragrant coconut, cashew nuts, etc. from the simple countryside of Cambodia, and feel the Cambodian customs across the mountains and seas.
