A Chinese firm with its headquarters in Pailin province has been exporting around 100 tonnes of Pailin longan every day to China to prepare in time for Lunar New Year holiday, which is also known as Spring Festival, as confirmed by an official from the agriculture department.

Im Rachna who serves as a spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries In her speech, Im Rachna highlighted the fact that China Jinkwoayuan Import Export (Cambodia) is at the forefront of this initiative in launching longan exports to China beginning in the month of October 2022. The company is the first company in Cambodia to incorporate modern-day technology processes for processing longan, which allows automated sorting according to size and type and also enabling the automatic packing.

“With the Chinese New Year nearing, need in Pailin lengthan from China dramatically increases. In general, the volume of exports of Pailin longan is less,” Rachna remarked.

The Spring Festival, slated for the 10th of February this year is an ideal time to launch the export of such goods.

Say Sophat, director of the Pailin provincial agricultural department pointed out the beginning of exports of longan to China after the completion of Cambodia China Longan Physical Protocol to export fresh longan from the 31st of October 2022. The director noted that, in the month of the month of December 2023, farmers were able to fetch good prices for longans that ranged from 3,000- 3,600 riel ($0.735 or $0.882) for a kilogram.

Sophat said that despite an increase of 40% in the cost of exports to China in 2023 as compared to 2022 due to rising inflation and tightened spending China and the forthcoming Lunar New Year prompted the Chinese firm to put in longeran orders more in comparison to the normal. The buying rate of farmers remained in the range of 3,600 Ries ($0.882) per kilogram.

The Cambodia-China Longan Phytosanitary Agreement that was signed by the agricultural department as well as the China’s General Administration of Customs on March 16, 2022 will open the door to more exports of longans. By 2023 Cambodia exports longans for $24.76 million. China imports 17,380 tonnes worth at $24.594 million, and Vietnam imports 116.7 tonnes worth $165,116.

Pailin longan, a name derived from the second-smallest province in the Kingdom, is one of the most sought-after varieties in the longan cultivation industry, renowned for its high-quality.

Source: www.thestar.com.my