PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Cambodian Pepper and Spices Federation have urged producers and pepper farmers to increase production to meet demand from domestic and foreign markets, which will boost more exports.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Cambodian Pepper and Spices Federation on Thursday morning, the Deputy Director General of the General Department of Trade Promotion in the Ministry of Commerce, Ab Rady, said that the relevant ministries and institutions have made efforts to prepare the standard letter, relevant agenda and training of cultivation, hygiene, processing and packaging methods.

He stressed that pepper traders, farmers, processors and operators need to increase production outputs by strengthening and expanding the value chain on cultivation, processing, hygiene and packaging to ensure high-quality products that meet the needs and demands of both domestic and foreign markets.

The Deputy Director General of the General Department of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Khan Samban, stated that pepper is grown in provinces such as Tbong Khmum, Ratanakkiri, Kratie, Mondulkiri and Kampot.

He continued that between 2010 and 2020, the area of land growing pepper increased from 861 hectares to 8,008 hectares, and pepper products from Cambodia have been exported to Vietnam, Thailand, Europe, Switzerland, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and India.

He claimed farmers have switched to pepper farming and organic farming in response to market demand, which has helped ensure food security.

The Cambodian Pepper and Spices Federation was established in 2019 and has a membership of 14 companies, 15 community-pepper associations, and a total of 1,000 pepper producers based in Kampot, Koh Kong, Pursat, Battambang, Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom, Tbong Khmum, Mondulkiri and Ratanakkiri provinces.

According to the President of the Federation of Pepper and Spice of Cambodia, Mr. McNee, the Federation will continue to work closely with relevant the ministries, development partners and associations of exporters to help promote the Cambodian pepper sector to have a wider market.