A Chinese laboratory pledged this week to aid the development of Cambodia’s agricultural sector by sharing expertise, technology, and human resources.
Representatives of the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre, located in China’s southern province of Hunan, made the pledge on Sunday during an official visit to the country of the Cambodian Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon.
“The center pledges to provide high-ranking officials and technicians to Cambodia,” said Yuan Longping, founder of the laboratory, according to a press release from the Cambodian ministry.
“We hope the Royal Government of Cambodia will cooperate and promote the cultivation of 300,000 to 400,000 hectares of hybrid rice seed to ensure world food security and stability and increase Cambodian rice exports,” he was quoted as saying.
Minister Sakhon welcomed the offer.
“The ministry is willing to work together to research and produce high-quality rice varieties to respond to market demand,” he said.
Cambodia’s exports of milled rice fell by 3.4 percent during the first three months of 2018, dropping to 161,115 tonnes.