STORY: Cambodia earns 4.3 bln USD from export of agricultural products in 2023, with China being major buyer
SHOOTING TIME: File/Jan. 10, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 10, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:04
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of aerial view of a mango processing factory (file)
2. various of agricultural products (file)
3. various of trucks transporting agricultural products (file)
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MAK CHAMROEUN, Chairman of e-commerce platform AgriBee (Cambodia)
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MAK CHAMROEUN, Chairman of e-commerce platform AgriBee (Cambodia)

STORYLINE:

Cambodia made a gross revenue of 4.3 billion U.S. dollars from the export of agricultural products in 2023, said a Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) report on Monday.

The Southeast Asian country shipped almost 8.45 million tons of agricultural products to about 75 countries and regions during the January-December period last year, the report said.

Key agricultural items for exports included rice, rubber, cassava, mangoes, fresh bananas, pepper, cashew nuts, longan, corn, and palm oil, among others.

China, Vietnam and Thailand are the major importers of Cambodia's agricultural items.

Mak Chamroeun, chairman of e-commerce platform AgriBee (Cambodia), said China is a key buyer of Cambodian agricultural products, benefiting millions of Cambodian farmers. And he's confident in the future China-Cambodia agricultural cooperation.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MAK CHAMROEUN, Chairman of e-commerce platform AgriBee (Cambodia)
"The purchase of the agricultural products from China has benefited millions of Cambodian farmers. Why? Because it helped to stabilize the market for farmers, it helped our farmers to generate more income, and the purchase can create more jobs for Cambodian people.
I believe that the purchase and export of Cambodian agricultural products (to China) will be increased more and more from this year and also next (year) and the following years."

Chamroeun also believes that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and Cambodia's bilateral free trade agreements with China, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates will give a boost to Cambodia's agricultural export growth in the long term.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MAK CHAMROEUN, Chairman of e-commerce platform AgriBee (Cambodia)
"In my view, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement (RCEP), the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), the Cambodia-Korea Free Trade Agreement, as well as the Cambodia-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will inject vigorous momentum into Cambodia's agricultural export growth in the long run."

Agriculture is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economic growth in addition to garment export, tourism, construction and real estate.

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