PHNOM PENH, April 30 (Bernama) -- Experts from Cambodia and international organisations gathered at a forum here Monday to discuss the current status of rice research and development and to evaluate the country's challenges in rice production and export, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Cambodian Rice Research Forum was organised by Rice Research Institute(IRRI) and Cambodia's Agriculture Ministry with the support of the Australian government.
The event created a discussion platform between international scientists with national scientists, development partners and various stakeholders to assess rice research and production through identification of key challenges facing the Cambodian rice industry and common solutions to accelerate the country's development of rice sector.
Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun said Cambodia's rice output is about 3.2 tons per hectare last year, still low compared to 5.3 tons of neighbouring Vietnam and 3.5 tons of Laos.
"I am confident that the forum will find inputs to increase rice production in the country," he said.
The forum would offer an opportunity for various stakeholders to exchange views on achieving Cambodia's goal of exporting at least 1 million tons of milled rice in 2015.
Penny Richards, ambassador of Australia to Cambodia, said the forum was an important way of disseminating key findings from existing research as well as prioritising future research necessary to support the Cambodian government's goal of exporting 1 million tons of milled rice per year by 2015.
Chan Sarun said the country produced some 8.8 million tons of rice last year, with about 4 million tons of rice available for exports this year.
In August 2010, the government adopted a rice export promotion strategy aimed at raising rice exports to 1 million tons by 2015. However, old post-harvesting technology and lack of capital prevented the country from raising its rice exports.
Cambodia needs some 350 million U.S. dollars to invest in hi-tech post harvest technology and purchase paddy rice from farmers to achieve its target for rice exports.
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