Cambodia, China Sign Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Fresh Coconut Export

Phnom Penh, September 20, 2023 --

Cambodia and China have recently signed a protocol of phytosanitary requirements that will make way for the export of fresh coconuts from Cambodia to China.

The protocol was inked on Sept. 15 between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the General Administration of Customs of China.

H.E. Ms. Im Rachana, MAFF’s Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson, on Sept. 20 said that the ministry’s General Department of Agriculture (GDA) has started to inform the owners of coconut plantations, aromatic coconut farming communities and the owners of fresh coconuts processing and packaging factories who wish to produce and process fresh coconuts for the Chinese market to apply for registration of their plantations and factories.

“The ministry will work with farmers to ensure that they grow coconuts in accordance with the sanitary and phytosanitary standards set by the General Administration of Customs of China,” she added.

List of fresh coconut plantations and processing and packaging plants will be sent to the Chinese side in early December 2023 for review and evaluation before reaching the formal export, the spokesperson underlined.

Cambodia currently has 17,000 hectares of coconut plantations, of which 14,000 hectares are ready for harvest, yielding a total of 248,000 tonnes in 2022.