Phnom Penh: On the morning of December 23, 2024, Mr. Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, presided over the opening ceremony of a meeting to review the results of 2024 and establish implementation targets for 2025 for the General Department of Rubber. The event attracted nearly 200 officials from the department.

In his opening remarks, Minister Dith Tina expressed his pleasure in leading the discussions aimed at guiding the General Department of Rubber for the upcoming year. He highlighted the importance of evaluating the budget plan, budget utilization, and the performance of various indicators against expected targets. The Minister encouraged participants to thoroughly assess procurement contracts with the Ministry of Economy and Finance as part of the strategy to enhance the effectiveness of their work in 2025.

During the ceremony, he praised the leadership and civil servants within the General Department of Rubber for their commitment and efforts. He specifically acknowledged their successful research initiatives, which resulted in the development of CRRI12 and CRRI19 rubber clones. He urged the continued distribution of these clones to rubber growers to improve productivity.

Moreover, Minister Dith Tina urged the meeting to focus on aligning the rubber sector with the Royal Government's policies. He called for the establishment of economies of scale, a clear legal and technical framework, market needs assessment, cost reduction in production, and initiatives that provide tangible economic benefits to the populace. He stressed the need to approach the rubber industry with a long-term perspective, emphasizing ownership, market strength, and attracting investment in processing finished products.

The Minister encouraged attendees to work towards building a modern agricultural community that unites rubber growers, emphasizing the importance of strong, organized groups with clear investment and production plans that address market demands and enhance economic efficiency.