STORY: Cambodia begins 1st direct shipment of wild aquatic products to China
DATELINE: Sept. 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:59
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the company
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): HENG MENGTY, Export manager of Kim Chou Co., Ltd Import Export and International Transportation
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): PHAT SOKRA, 30-year-old worker at the Kim Chou company

STORYLINE:

Cambodia on Thursday exported its first batch of wild aquatic products directly to China, marking another fruitful cooperation between the two countries in the fisheries sector.
   
Kim Chou Co., Ltd Import Export and International Transportation is the first Cambodian company authorized to export wild aquatic products directly to China.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): HENG MENGTY, Export manager of Kim Chou Co., Ltd Import Export and International Transportation
"This is the first time that Cambodia exports wild aquatic products to China directly, departing from the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port to the Port of Shanghai.
In this first shipment, we export two kinds of products, namely frozen eels and frozen freshwater glass shrimp, in a total amount of 10 tonnes.
The shipment departed from the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on Sept. 14 and is expected to reach Shanghai on Oct. 15 or 16.
We have purchased these products from fishermen in some provinces around the Tonle Sap Lake, including the provinces of Kampong Thom, Pursat, Siem Reap and so on.
For products' quality and sanitary standards, we have complied with China's requirements because we have trained our employees and Chinese experts have directly controlled the quality.
This export will contribute to economic growth, creating jobs for our farmers and fishermen."

Phat Sokra, a 30-year-old worker at the Kim Chou company, said his routine duties are sifting, selecting, peeling and packaging glass shrimp in plastic bags before putting them into a freezer.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer):   PHAT SOKRA, 30-year-old worker at the Kim Chou company
"My routine duties, in the morning, are sifting, selecting and peeling glass shrimp before packaging them in plastic bags and putting them into a freezer.
When the shrimp are frozen, we arrange them into boxes and put them into containers for exporting to China.
These wild aquatic products will be put for sale in the Chinese market. I feel happy because their purchase has created jobs for us and generated income for our fishermen."

The export came after the General Administration of Customs of China in May allowed the Southeast Asian nation to ship its wild aquatic products directly to China, and the company is allowed to export 11 kinds of Cambodian wild aquatic products to China, including wild shrimp, wild fish, wild eel and wild snails.
   
Wild aquatic products are Cambodia's second agricultural products authorized to be exported to China this year after peppers.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Phnom Penh.
(XHTV)