PHNOM PENH: Ten tons of frozen freshwater shrimp and eel were exported from Cambodia to China on September 14, marking a major first for Cambodian fishery products. The Ministry of Agriculture applauded the company's efforts to work closely with aquaculture to achieve the first export of Cambodian fishery products to the Chinese market.

Undersecretary of State and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Im Rachana, said that exporting Cambodian fishery products to the Chinese market for the first time was a big step forward. She said that the first priority is to maintain quality in accordance with the hygiene and phytosanitary standards set by the Chinese Customs Administration to ensure that Cambodian fishery products can still be imported into the Chinese market.

The next step is to promote Cambodian fishery products with higher quality and better aesthetics that are safe and delicious in order to strengthen the products and meet the needs of customers in the Chinese market. "As demand in the Chinese market increases, the export of fishery products from Cambodia to China will increase," she said. As for hydropower, fish farmers in Cambodia will have more jobs.

She added that the Ministry hopes that by boosting the export of Cambodian fishery products to the Chinese market, it will be able to improve the livelihoods of Cambodian fishermen and contribute to the national economic growth.

Kim Chou Co. is the first Cambodian company to be allowed to export fishery products directly to China. The company’s president Heng Meng Ty said that this is the first time that Cambodia has been able to export fishery products to the Chinese market via the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port to the port of Shanghai. He said that the order should arrive between October 15-16. He pointed out that these products are collected from fishermen in provinces around the Tonle Sap Lake, including Kampong Thom, Pursat and Siem Reap.

"For the quality and hygiene standards of our products, we comply with Chinese requirements because we have trained our staff and Chinese experts directly control the quality," he said.

He expects that Cambodia will be able to export about 240 tons of seafood products to China per year, which can contribute to economic growth by creating jobs for farmers and fishermen.