WASHINGTON: In order to reduce the countries dependency on imports estimated around $200m the government of Cambodia has started an initiative to boost vegetable production. Vongsey Vissoth, secretary of state for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said recently that the country spends millions of dollars a year importing vegetables from neighboring countries, mainly Vietnam.
The new strategy, Mr. Vissoth said, would emphasize the move towards large-scale production and partnerships with wealthy farmers and the private sector to boost vegetable production. “I get very upset once we start talking about importing vegetables. We have very rich soil and plenty of water resources but we import a lot and some complain the imported vegetables contain chemicals,” he said.
“Now, it’s time for us to change our methods and build relations with wealthy farmers. Our development partners help poor farmers and now the government will help wealthy farmers who have the ability to work with us to grow vegetables,” he said. “It will be a co-investment scheme in which 70 percent is borne by the farmer and 30 percent paid by the government,” he said. The project, called Boosting Food Projection 2017-2019, has a government budget of some $20 million, of which about $10 million is for the production of vegetables and other crops.
