AFP
PHNOM PENH - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen today lifted a ban on rice exports to reduce global concerns over supplies of the grain, saying the country has enough rice for its own needs.
Hun Sen in late March banned rice exports in a bid to halt the staple food’s spiraling prices, which have doubled this year to record highs of nearly one dollar a kilogramme on the local market.
"The temporary ban on rice exported is lifted from today," Hun Sen said during a university student graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh.
"But the exports must go through the government system and will be limited to 1,6 million tonnes, so that we can maintain our reserves," he said.
Hun Sen said the lifting of the ban would help reduce "concerns of the world, especially the Philippines" over supplies of rice.
He also said exports would benefit farmers who harvested a surplus.
"We are not short on rice," Hun Sen said.
Cambodia produced some 6,7 million tones of rice last year with a surplus of 2,3 million tones which can be exported, he said.
The Philippines, which does not grow enough rice to meet its needs, scrambled to secure rice deals as world prices soared to record highs this year.
Experts blame the trend on higher energy and fertiliser costs, greater global demand, droughts, the loss of rice farmland to biofuel plantations, and price speculation.
Hun Sen in late March banned rice exports in a bid to halt the staple food’s spiraling prices, which have doubled this year to record highs of nearly one dollar a kilogramme on the local market.
"The temporary ban on rice exported is lifted from today," Hun Sen said during a university student graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh.
"But the exports must go through the government system and will be limited to 1,6 million tonnes, so that we can maintain our reserves," he said.
Hun Sen said the lifting of the ban would help reduce "concerns of the world, especially the Philippines" over supplies of rice.
He also said exports would benefit farmers who harvested a surplus.
"We are not short on rice," Hun Sen said.
Cambodia produced some 6,7 million tones of rice last year with a surplus of 2,3 million tones which can be exported, he said.
The Philippines, which does not grow enough rice to meet its needs, scrambled to secure rice deals as world prices soared to record highs this year.
Experts blame the trend on higher energy and fertiliser costs, greater global demand, droughts, the loss of rice farmland to biofuel plantations, and price speculation.
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