Average

Straight into Cambodia's rice business.

The Kingdom is still looking at last year's data. The Phnom Penh Post (Feb. 9) looks at rice export data:

'Cambodia exported 50,450 tonnes of rice worth $39 million to the international market in January, down 15.39 per cent compared to the same period in 2018, Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) secretary-general Lun Yeng said on Sunday.
Yeng told The Post that Cambodian rice exports to the European market last month decreased 5,269 tonnes (22 per cent) year-on-year since the EU Commission introduced safeguard measures last year on rice imports from the Kingdom.
Last month’s rice exports to China decreased 3,664 tonnes (20 per cent) year-on-year, he said.
“Cambodian rice exports to the EU market are set to increase in the coming months, thanks to a drop in taxes on rice imports from €175 to €150 [$190 to $160] per tonne, which will take effect in mid-February,” he said.
Customs duty to the EU for last year stood at €175 per tonne and will be reduced to €150 this year and to €125 next year'.

While the Khmer Times (Jan. 28) is still looking at production. And then export:

'Some 7.9 million tons of wet season paddy rice were harvested in 2019 while the milled rice export was reported at 620,106 tons, registering a year-on-year decrease of about 1 percent.
China is the Kingdom’s biggest rice market purchasing 248,105 tons, followed by France and Gabon with 81,905 tons and 36,663 tons, respectively. Though the quota to China is 400,000 tons for 2019, exports fell way below target for the second consecutive year.
The dry season rice production, the report stated, were achieved at 528,136 hectares, equal to 114 percent of the yearly target.
Cambodia produced 7.4 million tonnes of paddy rice in 2018, a 3.5 percent increase. Total production in 2018 was only 88.47 percent of what the government expected, adding that 2.4 million hectares were harvested out of 2.7 million hectares of available agricultural land.
On average, each hectare produced 3.07 tonnes of rice, the report says, noting that in 2006 the average yield was only 2.6 tonnes'.

Slightly odd, it's foreign press that report on the following. Vietnamplus (Feb. 11): 

'Cambodia shipped 50,450 tonnes of rice worth 39 million USD to foreign markets in January, a year-on-year decline of 15.39 percent, according to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF).
CRF secretary-general Lun Yeng said that exports to the European market, the largest importer of Cambodian rice, in the month fell 22 percent year on year to 5,269 tonnes since the EU Commission introduced safeguard measures last year on rice imports from the country'.
However, Lun Yeng said rice exports to the European market are set to increase in the coming months, thanks to a drop in taxes on rice imports from 175 EUR (190.99 USD) per tonne last year to 150 EUR this year'. 

Further afield. Reuters (Feb. 18) reports on Vietnam's rice-related data. But they are for the year ahead:

'Vietnam expects to export 6.75 million tonnes of rice this year, up 6% from last year, Vietnam Food Association Vice Chairman Do Ha Nam said on Tuesday.
“Demand is seen rising this year as Vietnamese rice is more competitive in terms of prices,” Nam told Reuters, adding that the coronavirus epidemic in China had had no impact on shipments of Vietnamese rice to China'.

Tons

Looking at other crops, the Khmer Times (Feb. 18) has a mention of hybrids, but in maize:

'The Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries has approved the first Cambodian hybrid maize, named CHM01, for public use throughout the Kingdom'.

More data from the Phnom Penh Post (Feb. 3); that of cassava:

'The price of cassava in provinces bordering Thailand remains steady during the 2019-2020 harvest season which is currently about 60 per cent complete, officials said.
Cambodia’s cassava is mostly grown in Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Kratie and Kampong Thom provinces. The crop is planted in May and harvested between November and the end of February each year.
Battambang provincial Department of Commerce director Kim Hout said on Monday that the average price at which the province’s farmers sold their crops this year was a little higher than last year.
Fresh cassava goes for 250-260 riel (6.1-6.4 US cents) per kilogramme while dry ones sell for 700-720 riel, Hout said.
He said about 80 per cent of Battambang province’s cassava is exported to Thailand, while another 20 per cent is sold to Vietnam by traders.
During this harvest season, the province has 112,543ha cultivated with cassava, with an average yield of 26.43 tonnes per hectare, a report from the Battambang provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said'.

The Khmer Times (Jan. 27) on rubber:

'Cambodia exported 282,071 tons of dry rubber in 2019, an increase of 30 percent from 217,501 tons in the year before, according to Agriculture Ministry on Sunday.
The Southeast Asian nation made a gross revenue of roughly 377 million U.S. dollars from exports of the commodity last year, up 31.8 percent from 286 million U.S. dollars in a year earlier, said the ministry’s annual report.
“A ton of dry rubber averagely cost 1,336 U.S. dollars in 2019, about 19 U.S. dollars higher than that of 2018,” the report said'.

The Phnom Penh Post (Feb. 20) adds data to our rubber knowledge, but only concerning January 2020:

'Cambodia exported 27,445 tonnes of rubber worth $40 million in the first month of the year, up 17 per cent compared to the same period last year, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries official Khuon Phalla told The Post on Thursday.
Phalla, who is the director of the General Directorate of Rubber’s Department of Administration and Legislation under the ministry, said production also increased last month.
An increase in global demand was the main driver of the industry’s growth last month, he said, as China remains the largest market for the Kingdom’s rubber.
The average price last month was $1,433 per tonne, up $207 from December. “I expect that the price of rubber will continue to increase over the next few months,” he said'.

Khmer Times (Feb. 15) has data on last years mango:

'Cambodia exported more than 58,000 tonnes of mangos to various international markets in 2019 and is mulling the expansion and diversification of the exports'.

Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 26) has news on possible expansion of Cambodia's coffee plantations:

'Bangkok-based Charoen Pokphand Group Co Ltd (CP) has expressed interest in growing coffee in Cambodia to meet the Thai market’s growing demand.
In a meeting with Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak on Friday, a CP representative said even though Thailand is one of the world’s biggest coffee bean producers, demand is outstripping supply for the domestic market.
The representative said his company is conducting a feasibility study on the coffee crop in Cambodia.
...
Though the Kingdom’s coffee export figures for last year are currently unavailable, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries data shows that Cambodia exported 2.25 tonnes of coffee beans in 2018, a 15.14 per cent drop from 2017’s 2.66 tonnes.
In 2016, the Kingdom exported 2.25 tonnes of coffee beans, data showed'.

Thailand was listed as the number 25 in coffee production (2018, source), hardly one of the world's biggest producers.

Finally, there was this positive-for-trading news. The Phnom Penh Post (Feb. 19): 

'The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has announced that rice exporters and agro-product exporters can now attain sanitary and phytosanitary certificates at one window service centres to streamline the process'.

Crucial 

Non-rice and non-Khmei. 

The Vientiane Times (Jan. 29) reports on expansion of organics:

'The Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department is planning to build a permanent market for use by organic farmers, in Nonghai village, Hadxaifong district.
The market would set up a formal system to regulate supplies and prices, and provide farmers with a convenient point of sale for their produce.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr Lien Thikeo told the media the ministry is handing over responsibility to the department for the construction of the market.
...
The farmers’ market currently takes place at Lao-ITECC two days a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Department officials said the market encourages farmers to produce safe and chemical-free products to ensure the health of consumers.
There are now 17 organic farmers’ groups with a total of 313 household members, farming 175 hectares of land.
Six of the groups come from Hadxaifong district, six from Xaythany district, two from Xaysettha, and one each from Sikhottabong, Naxaithong and Pakngum districts. Together they grow 1,000 tonnes of produce a year.
These groups look set to continue to expand, securing new members and aiming to grow healthy vegetables on arable land around Vientiane'.

An interesting poster on non-timber forest products.

CCL Laos:

'A really interesting poster from The Agrobiodiversity Initiative Project which underlines the importance of Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP) for upland families in Laos. The poster highlights the importance of NTFP for household as well as the importance of bush fallow ecosystem which play a crucial role as nearly 30% of NTFPs harvested and 50% of all income from NTFP sales come from shifting cultivation fields and fallows. Overall, the paper demonstrates once again how NTFP value chain constitutes a key component for a sustainable and fair development of northern uplands.#NTFP #LaoUplands #sustainabledevelopmentto download the poster:https://www.researchgate.net/…/339301368_Non-Timber_Forest_…'.

Blocks

Then the big (and messy) business. 

The Guardian (Feb. 6) on chlorpyrifos:

'The world’s largest manufacturer of chlorpyrifos, an agricultural pesticide linked to brain damage in children, has announced that it will stop producing the chemical by the end of the year.
The announcement on Thursday by Corteva, the corporation formed from a Dow Chemical and DuPont merger, comes after the Trump administration reversed regulatory plans to ban the pesticide and rejected the scientific conclusions of US government experts.
Chlorpyrifos has been widely used on corn, soybeans, almonds, citrus, cotton, grapes, walnuts and other crops, but research has repeatedly found serious health effects in children, including impaired brain development. Environmental groups have long advocated for its ban, and the state of California, which grows the majority of the nation’s fruits and nuts, defied Trump and banned the chemical last year.
Corteva said it was ending production due to declining sales. Susanne Wasson, the president of Corteva’s crop protection business, told Reuters it was a “difficult decision”.

PAN Europe (Feb. 11) has an interesting exposé on German labs dealing with studies on glyphosate:

'Fraud in German laboratory casts additional doubts on the 2017 re-approval of glyphosate and on the entire EU pesticide safety evaluation procedure. The Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology (LPT) Hamburg that was found recently to commit fraud in a series of regulatory tests had also carried out many of the tests in the glyphosate re-approval dossier in 2017, new study reveals. At least one in 7 glyphosate regulatory studies, with the certificate “Good Laboratory Practice” (GLP), come from LPT Hamburg, the same laboratory that was caught manipulating GLP toxicity studies by replacing dead animals with living ones, changing tumour data to "inflammations" and generally distorting the data to please its clients. It is highly concerning that GLP studies are still considered the golden scientific standard by regulatory authorities who seem to believe that cheating under GLP is impossible.
PAN Europe asks the European Commission to discard the studies carried out by LPT laboratory from the glyphosate dossier currently undergoing re-evaluation at EU-level, and from any other dossier'.

Then the Guardian (Feb. 20) again, this time of the profits of selling hazadorous pesticides:

'The world’s biggest pesticide companies make billions of dollars a year from chemicals found by independent authorities to pose high hazards to human health or the environment, according to an analysis by campaigners.
The research also found a higher proportion of these highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) in the companies’ sales in poorer nations than in rich ones. In India, 59% of sales were of HHPs in contrast to just 11% in the UK, according to the analysis.
The data from Phillips McDougall, the leading agribusiness analysts, are from buyer surveys focused on the most popular products in the 43 nations that buy the most pesticides. It was obtained and analysed by Unearthed, a journalism group funded by Greenpeace UK, and the Swiss NGO Public Eye.
...
Unearthed used a list of 330 HHPs compiled by Pesticide Action Network International (PAN), based on judgments from authorities such as the US Environmental Protection Agency, European Union bodies, the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants and the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The FAO and WHO classify some but not all of these pesticides as HHPs on their list and a spokesman for BASF said the PAN list was “inflated”. Keith Tyrell, director of PAN UK, said: “Efforts to strengthen the UN’s approach are consistently blocked by the pesticide industry.”

Stifled

The Guardian (Oct. 26) has an extensive article on the recently published Golden Rice: The Imperiled Birth of a GMO Superfood by Ed Regis:

'Stifling international regulations have been blamed for delaying the approval of a food that could have helped save millions of lives this century. The claim is made in a new investigation of the controversy surrounding the development of Golden Rice by a team of international scientists.
Golden Rice is a form of normal white rice that has been genetically modified to provide vitamin A to counter blindness and other diseases in children in the developing world. It was developed two decades ago but is still struggling to gain approval in most nations.
“Golden Rice has not been made available to those for whom it was intended in the 20 years since it was created,” states the science writer Ed Regis. “Had it been allowed to grow in these nations, millions of lives would not have been lost to malnutrition, and millions of children would not have gone blind.”
...
“The effects of withholding, delaying or retarding Golden Rice development through overcautious regulation has imposed unconscionable costs in terms of years of sight and lives lost,” Regis concludes.

It looks like a great article in PR and up til now, the publication has received very little critique. It is also totally uncharacteristic of what Guardian normally publishes. Is their more balance?
Especially the claim that millions of lives have not been saved seems to be an exaggeration. Blaming others for the delay seems to bypass the central question. Why is big business so interested in pushing this (as the blame is placed with governments and NGO's)? Not self interest?

In Foreign Policy (Oct. 17), author Ed Regis discusses his own publication and emphasizes:

'This was Golden Rice, the fruit of nine years of research, experimentation, and development. The “gold” was in fact beta carotene, a substance that is converted into vitamin A in the human body. Conventional rice plants already contained beta carotene, but only in their leaves and stems, not in the kernels. Golden Rice also carries the substance in the part of the plant that people eat. This small change made Golden Rice into a miracle of nutrition: The rice could combat vitamin A deficiency in areas of the world where the condition is endemic and could, thereby, “save a million kids a year.”

A review (Oct. 3) from eea - John Hopkins University (the publisher):

'It is also true that Greenpeace had criticized and denounced Golden Rice, mocked and ridiculed it as an unrealistic, impractical, and even a dangerous foodstuff. Over the years since the prototype version was announced, Greenpeace had issued a practically endless stream of press releases, position papers, and miscellaneous other statements about Golden Rice that were filled with factual inaccuracies, distortions, and wild exaggerations of the truth. I learned, however, that none of these diatribes had done anything to stop, slow down, or interfere with the process of Golden Rice research and development, which proceeded at its own steady, albeit deliberate, pace.
Nor was Greenpeace guilty of mass murder or “crimes against humanity.” For even if their accusations against Golden Rice had the effect of retarding its development (which in fact they hadn’t), those accusations were not intended to cause harm, much less death, whereas murder is above all an intentional act'. 

This blog has highlighted much of the what was wrong with Golden Rice:
August 2018 citing GRAIN:

'Aside from its low content, the beta-carotene in Golden Rice also shows degradation. A study in 2017 shows that Golden Rice retains 60% of its original beta-carotene levels after 3 weeks of storage and just 13% after 10 weeks. A researcher notes that after 75 days, one has to eat as much as 32 kgs of cooked Golden Rice just to get the same amount of beta-carotene in a single carrot'.

December 2018 citing GRAIN:

'While these pro-GR groups keep tagging the Golden Rice detractors as ‘vandals’, they also continue to take for granted the realities of hunger that these farmers and the Asian peoples are experiencing on a daily basis. Our countries are blessed with bountiful resources to feed our population, but poverty and social inequalities stop people from procuring safe and nutritious food. Golden Rice will never solve VAD [vitamin A deficiency] and will only strengthen the status quo, benefiting only those interested in controlling our nations’ agricultural sector.

The real crime against humanity is committed by the pro-Golden Rice camp by peddling a GM product that is not tested nor proven to be safe. In fact, this can turn into a situation where the ‘medicine’ is worse than the illness it intends to cure.

Golden Rice is a techno-fix to malnutrition and a corporate ploy to control our agriculture. It is not needed by Asian people nor the world. Indeed, the solution to hunger and malnutrition lies in comprehensive approaches that ensure people have access to diverse sources of nutrition. Securing small farmers’ control over resources such as seed, appropriate technologies, water and land is the real key to improving food production and eradicating hunger and malnutrition'.

May 2017 citing GRAIN:

'A recent study made by scientist in India showed that the derived lines of Golden Rice produced phenotypic abnormality and poor agronomic performance making it unfit for commercial cultivation'.

December 2016:

'Looking at how Nobel prize winners were drawn into declaring their support for genetically modified organisms the oneworld (Nov. 7) article's author comes to some revealing disclosures. 

Though this saga has been highlighted earlier on this site, let's start with part of the article's intro:

'In June this year it hit the newspaper headlines. More than a hundred Nobel laureates call upon Greenpeace to immediately cease their resistance to genetic modification (GM). In specific the environmental organization was blasted for it's campaign against so-called “Golden Rice”, a genetically engineered rice variety 
...
Regulatory barriers for GM-technology should therefore be eased, the letter urges, and calls on “governments of the world“ to make this happen'.

The article reveals 

• That Greenpeace does not "frustrate" the work of IRRI on Golden Rice,
• that Greenpeace were not allowed to defend themselves at a press conference in Washington D.C., being refused entry by a representative of a PR firm who was formerly head of Monsanto's corporate communication,
• the same person also provided public affairs guidance to the Nobel winners,
• the same representative is a fixer between industry and scientists which seek to discredit organic food industry,
• with this in mind there is apparently a target list of well-known / influential GMO doubters,
• that the leader of Nobel Laureates efforts in this cause has a private stake in allowing wider acceptance of GMO's'. 

And we could look further back: November 2014 , May 2014, January 2014 and  October 2013. Just a few postings on the subject. 

More info from Stop Golden Rice Network. 
So there's enough to suggest a more balanced view is required.

Kind
Let's look more at the kingdom's rice issues.

Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 30) takes a look ahead:

'The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) has committed to raising the Kingdom’s rice exports to one million tonnes by 2022, its president Song Saran said on Wednesday. 
The comment was made at the Strategic Plan 2020-2023 Consultation Workshop, which was attended by CRF members, ministry representatives, government agencies and international stakeholders.In an effort to attain its goal, the CRF will export 35 per cent of its rice to the Chinese market, 30 per cent each to Europe and Asean countries, and five per cent to other markets said, Saran. 
Of that, luxury fragrant rice will account for 30 per cent of its exports, regular fragrant rice 40 per cent and regular rice 30 per cent, he said'.

Phnom Penh Post (Nov. 5) currently:

'The price of premier jasmine paddy is showing signs of stability as post-monsoon harvest season begins, insiders have said.
The harvest season of Phka Romduol – a variety of Cambodian premium rice – began about a week ago in some provinces such as Pursat, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Battambang, and will end late next month or in early January.
Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) vice-president Chan Sokheang on Tuesday said the price of Phka Romduol is currently between 1,100 and 1,200 riel ($0.27 and $0.30) per kilogramme – a slight increase from last year.To promote rice exports, the CRF has urged all its members to stock up on Phka Romduol paddy, he said, adding that “this kind of paddy is in high demand on the international market”. 
Milled Phka Romduol rice sold on the international market may fetch $880-$900 per tonne, Sokheang said'.

Other marketing aspects. The Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 31):

'Cambodia is campaigning to boost its luxury fragrant rice exports to China, the world’s largest market, said Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) vice-president Chan Sokheang on Thursday. 
Sokheang told The Post on Thursday that the CRF plans to achieve the quota that China provided Cambodia – 400,000 tonnes of rice per annum. 
The CRF has committed to exporting one million tonnes of rice globally by 2022, with 35 per cent to the Chinese market, of which 30 per cent is luxury fragrant rice, 40 per cent regular fragrant rice and 30 per cent regular rice. 

Sokheang said the federation’s campaign aims to boost fragrant rice exports to China and make up for a decline in exports to Europe'.

Khmer Times (Nov. 15) has more on China: 

'China imported 40 percent more rice from Cambodia from January to October this year over the same period last year, according to government data'.

Award
Across the eastern border, Vietnam is celebrating. Vientnamnews (Nov. 13):

'Việt Nam’s organic rice from Sóc Trăng ST24 was crowned the best in the world at The Rice Trader (TRT) World Rice Conference 2019 in Manila, the Philippines, on Tuesday. 
This is the first time Vietnamese rice has been awarded this title'.

Cambodia has won this a couple of times in the past, it exemplifies how also the Vietnamese are seeking to up their product.
Much to chagrin of Thailand. Bangkok Post (Nov. 18):

'Rice traders are calling on the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives to prioritise the development and improvement of rice varieties after Thailand's signature jasmine rice, Thai Hom Mali, failed to win the World's Best Rice award for a second year.
Vietnam's ST24 rice won this year's award, while Cambodia's premium fragrant rice, Malys Angkor, won the honours in 2018.
Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of Thai Rice Exporters Association, said missing the award twice in a row indicates that their rivals have been continuously working on developing their product'.

Of course for every upside there's a downside. This from Thailand's the Nation (Nov. 5):

'Thai rice is in trouble, with the price of 5 per cent Broken White Rice and sticky rice being very low, Thai Rice Mills Association president Kriangsak Tapananon said. New jasmine rice in the beginning of the season will be earmarked for export, and the old rice will be consumed in Thailand, he added.
...
“In the highly competitive global market, our competitors have chosen to offer lower prices to attract buyers,” he said.
“To tackle this, we need to maybe recheck the whole rice export system,” Kriangsak said. “However, to do this by looking back at the market tendency, quantity, and price direction, the main problem is inevitably the production cost”.
Kriangsak said that to deal with the current market situation, the quantity of rice per rai should be increased to meet market demand, while new markets should be found for all kinds of rice.
It is also questionable whether the government’s policy of providing support only to the production sector including rice farmers is sufficient enough to help the entire rice trading system'.

The Nation (Oct. 23) looks at the overall market prospects for Thai produce:

'Rice exports are expected to reach between 8 million and 8.1 million tonnes this year, falling short of the target of 9 million tonnes, Thai Rice Exporters Association honorary president Chookiat Ophaswongse said this week.
That would make rice exports in 2019 lower than last year by 3.5 million tonnes.
Rice exports during the first nine months totalled 5.9 million tonnes, a reflection of the fierce competition from other countries'.

And then there's this. Nation (Nov. 5):

'Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sreeon has ordered the Department of Agriculture, the Rice Department and the Department of Agriculture Extension to look for a way to control an outbreak of rice blast disease scourging northeastern provinces.
The article mentions acreages of more than 50,000 ha affected'.

The Nation (Oct. 31) looks at market prospects in the Philippines for Thai rice:

'Keerati Rushchano, an inspector-general at the Commerce Ministry and acting director-general of its Department of Foreign Trade, said this week the Philippines had suspended implementation of an import protection measure that would have adversely affected Thai rice.
...
Thailand exported 543,344 tonnes to the Philippines in the first nine months of 2019, down 297,812 tonnes or 61.65 per cent year-on-year'.

Coconuts (Nov. 12) looks with more detail at the Filipino market for rice (imports?):

'The Philippines is the world’s number one importer of rice, surpassing even China, according to a new report released by the United States’ Department of Agriculture. The USDA-Foreign Agricultural Services (USDA-FAS) report, released on Nov. 8, shows that 3.1 million metric tons of rice were imported by the Philippines this year, compared to China’s 2.5 million metric tons. 
... 
In March this year, the government implemented the Rice Tarrification Law, or Republic Act 11203. The law removed import restrictions, leading to a greater amount of rice bought from overseas flooding the market. This move, according to experts, prompted local rice prices to plunge to PHP38 (US$0.75) per kilogram as of the end of September, 17 percent lower than last year’s price of PHP46 (US$0.90) per kilogram. However, prices failed to hit the government’s promised low of PHP27 (US$0.5o). 
The Philippines is also a major grower of rice, producing some 20 million tons a year, raising questions as to the impact of imports on prices for local growers. 
... 
As of October, the country’s national rice inventory was at 2.28 million metric tons, with some 1.9 million metric tons coming from imports, according to the Bureau of Customs. The share of imports is 43.4 percent higher than the previous year’s record of 1.59 million metric tons, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer'.

Vientiane Times (Nov. 14) has a look at the people's prospects for rice production:

'The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry yesterday defended its decision to lower the rice production target for 2019, saying it was unavoidable because of the severe flooding that had occurred this year and last.
At the same time, water shortages are currently affecting the north of Laos'.

Pha Khao Lao (Nov. 11) adds:

'Vientiane is continuing to expand irrigation systems with the goal of planting rice on an additional 555 hectares this dry season'.

Bust
Let's look at other crops.

Phnom Penh Post (Nov. 3) cites research that reflects positively on cassave vis-a-vis rice:

'The government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on farmers to grow cassava as a national policy on cassava production nears finalisation.
A UNDP study on Friday found that investing in cassava can result in higher yields than investing in rice, rice production, livestock, food and beverages, and tourism sectors. Direct revenue growth from the cassava sector is estimated to be about $130 million over 10 years.Speaking at the launch of the report, UNDP project manager Leang Reathmana said there is a growing demand for cassava from world markets – especially China – and the government and the private sector need to invest more in cassava'.

Rubber seems less positive. The Phnom Penh Post (Nov. 17):

'Rubber growers and exporters have expressed concern that prices will continue to fall as Thailand seeks to boost its natural rubber exports, industry insider Men Sopheak said.
In March, the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC), which comprises Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, agreed to reduce rubber exports by about 240,000 tonnes from late in May to late September to buoy local prices, Reuters reported last week.
The three Southeast Asian neighbours, which produce 70 per cent of the world’s natural rubber, ended up slashing exports by 441,648 tonnes during the period.
Thai Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit told a conference of reporters and rubber growers on Wednesday that Thailand will boost natural rubber exports to increase incomes for the latter following implementation of the four-month curb agreement, Reuters reported'.

Khmer Times (Oct. 28) on cashew:

'Top Planning Japan Co., Ltd last week announced its intention to build a plant in Cambodia to process cashew nuts'.

On a side note there's this. New Mandala (Nov. 1) has an extensive article on Southeast Asia's love of boom to bust cycles in it's agricultural development:

'The transformative capacity of crop booms across Southeast Asia is alarming. Tree-based boom crops alone (e.g. rubber, oil palm, eucalyptus) are estimated to constitute 18% of the landscape in mainland Southeast Asia, a majority of which replaced forest land (Hurni and Fox 2018). The images presented above attest to the monumental landscape changes brought about by crop booms. What follows are extensive environmental problems including deforestation, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, as well as pollution and health risks from agri-chemicals and plastics. In northern Laos and Myanmar, for example, plastics used to protect young watermelon seedlings are burned after harvest, while plastic bags that insulate young banana branches in the winter months are later ploughed into the soil. In both cases, there is no attention to the long-term environmental consequences.
Boom crops also bring irrevocable economic and social changes. The cassava boom in Cambodia, for example, has brought new levels of cash income to some participating households, but contributes to the rising cost of land, food and other consumables. In boom regions, some households gain the capacity to build new houses, send children to school, or invest in agricultural and transport equipment, while others lose out and may enter vicious cycles of household debt and land loss. Thus, smallholder crop booms often exacerbate existing inequalities or create new economic differentiations.
...
... states and development aid organisations often approach booms with optimism, viewing them as potential engines for locally driven development and economic growth. When ‘booms go bust’ due to ecological collapse or market failure, those involved often look for the next crop boom opportunity instead of engaging in long-term planning of more sustainable modes of agricultural production. This level of complexity and the lack of visible, responsible actors makes it difficult to research as well as address the socio-environmental impacts of crop booms'.

Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 29) has additional info on business enabling:

'The Ministry of Commerce has intensified its decentralisation policy and shifted its responsibility for issuing certificates of origin (COs) to provincial commerce departments, it said on Monday.
To promote the Kingdom’s agricultural exports, the ministry announced a pilot launch from November 1 in three border provinces – Takeo, Kampot and Koh Kong. 
In 2017, the ministry authorised the Battambang and Pailin provincial departments of Commerce to issue COs to exporters.
... 
Hun Lak, a director at Longmate Agriculture Co Ltd which is a yellow banana planter and exporter, said provincial CO issuance will facilitate his exports.He said his company exported nearly 120,000 tonnes of yellow bananas to China, Vietnam and Japan in the first nine months of this year.
Longmate Agriculture has invested $32 million in yellow banana cultivation on more than 1,000ha in Kampot’s northwestern Chhouk district. The company is currently implementing the first phase of the project on 400ha'.

Further afield. Vietnamnews (Oct. 30) on coffee:

'As coffee exports dropped in both volume and turnover in the first nine months of this year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said improving product quality and brand development are key for coffee export growth. 
Coffee exports reached 1.26 million tonnes, valued at US$2.17 billion, down 12.5 per cent ​​in volume and 20.9 per cent in value compared to the same period last year. 
To get Vietnamese coffee into foreign distribution systems, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said it would implement the scheme to help Vietnamese enterprises participate in overseas distribution networks by 2020, aiming to bring Vietnamese coffee directly into foreign markets'.

Thailand's Nation (Nov. 4) on pineapples:

'The Agricultural Research and Development Centre in Phetchaburi province has successfully created a new pineapple breed named “Petchaburi’s Pineapple 2” after 34 years of improvement by evaluating, selecting, comparing, and testing various breeds of pineapple, Department of Agriculture deputy director-general Surmsuk Salakpetch said'.

Suspect
Then let's finish with where we started. Controversy. 
In previous posts I've touched on the subject of the status of paraquat and glyphosate use in the region. As stated, Thailand is in the throes of deciding where to head to.
The Nation (Oct. 19) notes how farmers representatives are raising the stacks of the issue:

'Millions of sugarcane farmers and some academics have voiced opposition to the ban on farm chemicals paraquat and glyphosate, saying the discontinuation of these substances can cost the sugar industry as much as Bt570 billion.
...
The National Hazardous Substances Committee is scheduled to meet on October 27 to decide on whether the use of three toxic farming chemicals -- paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos – should be banned.
The panel set up by the government had proposed to end the use of the three chemicals from December 1, as they are considered to be harmful to people’s health and cause soil contamination'.

But it doesn't seem to help. Nation (Oct. 22):

'Twenty-six members of the Hazardous Substance Committee have reached a verdict to approve a planned ban on three toxic pesticides – Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos and Glyphosate – which are widely used in agriculture, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on his personal Facebook page on Tuesday'.

The discussion also reached Cambodia. The Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 24):

'Thailand edged closer on Tuesday to banning glyphosate and two other controversial pesticides despite protests from farmers in a multibillion-dollar agriculture industry aiming to be the “kitchen of the world”.
The agriculture sector employs 40 per cent of Thailand’s population, and the Southeast Asian country is one of the world’s leading rice and sugar exporters.It is also one of the biggest consumers of pesticides that are currently being banned or phased out in other parts of the globe because of links to a variety of illnesses.Thailand’s National Hazardous Substances Committee voted to ban glyphosate and chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos, officials said.
 ...
Vietnam banned all herbicides containing glyphosate soon after the Roundup cases in the US, but the decision was swiftly denounced by the US Secretary of Agriculture, who said it would impact global agricultural production. 
Thailand’s health minister, who has argued that the pesticides put lives at risk, praised Tuesday’s move as “heroic” on his Facebook page, as several dozen farmers protested, citing a rise in production costs. 
“If we don’t have the chemicals to eradicate the weeds, we will have to use more labourers,” said Charat Narunchron of a farmers association in Chanthaburi province, who called the ban “unfair”.Thailand’s Pesticide Alert Network – which has long advocated for the ban – thanked the government, but said it needs to help farmers adjust to other methods'.

The Bangkok Post (Oct. 26) highlights that prices of the to be banned chemicals are going down. 

Even the US is weighing in, not objectively. The Nation (Oct. 25):

'The US has urged Thailand to take scientific evidence into account and weigh the consequences of a ban on the use of glyphosate, a weed-control chemical.
Replying to questions from The Nation on Thailand’s plan to ban three farm chemicals -- paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate -- US Embassy spokesperson Jillian Bonnardeaux said: “We are aware that letters from the US Department of Agriculture to Royal Thai Government officials are currently circulating in the media in Thailand,” clarifying about news reports that the US government had sent letters to the Thai government urging a review of the ban on glyphosate used to control weeds.
“The United States would expect Thailand, as it would all of our trading partners, to base regulatory measures on scientific evidence and take into account international standards. Should the ban be implemented in Thailand, it will severely impact Thailand’s imports of agricultural commodities such as soybeans and wheat. The ban would negatively impact both Thai farmers and trading partners,” she noted'.

Note, Bangkok Post (Oct. 26):

'Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday said officials would be assigned to clearly explain Thailand’s position to the US embassy about an official document submitted to the Thai government objecting to the country’s policy of banning three toxic farm chemicals'.

Bangkok Post (Oct. 27):

'US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend $1.3 billion (39.2 billion baht) in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) has raised suspicion it is in retaliation for Thailand's ban on the use of herbicide glyphosate'.

And more pressure. Nation (Oct. 26):

'A farmers’ body will appeal to the Central Administrative Court on Monday (October 28) to issue an injunction on the ban of toxic agricultural chemicals – paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate – which was approved by the unanimous vote of Hazardous Substance Committee on Tuesday.
Sukan Sangwanna, secretary-general of Federation of Safe Agriculture (FSA), said on Saturday that the FSA and representatives of farmers who grow six economic crops including sugarcane, tapioca, oil palm, rubber, corn, and fruits will approach the court seeking a stay.
...
Sukan added that he will submit a letter to Hazardous Substance Committee to question the possible double standard practice of Thailand still importing fruits and vegetables from countries that allow paraquat and glyphosate, including China, Japan and the US. “If we ban these substances in Thailand, we should stop importing products from these countries too, or else domestic products won’t be able to compete due to increased costs.”
Statistics from Department of Agriculture reveal that currently Thailand still has stocks of these three chemicals of nearly 30,000 tonnes, whereas the cost to safely eliminate them is estimated at Bt3 billion'.

But ... The Nation (Oct. 31):

'Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has ordered the ministry’s permanent secretary and subsidiary agencies to speed their search for biochemical and microbial pesticides as substitutes for the newly banned toxic chemicals paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate'.

Rice farmers are unaffected? Bangkok Post (Nov. 9):

'Rice exporters have thrown their full support behind the ban on three toxic farm chemicals, saying importer countries have tightened their order of crops based on food safety.

Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the group agrees with the government's decision to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, and has asked farmers to adjust by reducing the use of chemicals.

"Many rice buyers have tightened their measures to protect consumers," Mr Charoen said. "If Thai farmers ignore the ban or do not reduce chemical use, rice exports will be affected."

He said global rice consumption is shifting towards chemical-free products'.

And now the tears. Nation (Nov. 13):

'Dr Kitti Chunhawong, president of Thailand Society of Sugarcane Technologists (TSSCT) insisted on Tuesday (November 12) that the banning of 3 agrochemical substances namely Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos and Glyphosate by the Hazardous Substance Committee, which came into effect last month, will severely affect the sugar industry'.

To be continued ...

Tearful

The bad news. Let's hear it. Reuters (Jan. 16): 

'The European Union will impose tariffs on rice from Cambodia and Myanmar from Friday to curb a surge in imports, the European Commission said on Wednesday. 

The decision, which will be in effect for three years, follows a “safeguard” investigation launched last March after a request from the Italian government. Rice is grown in eight southern European countries from Portugal to Bulgaria. 

In the absence of an opinion by the relevant committee, the Commission took the final decision itself on Wednesday. 

Cambodia and Myanmar benefit from the EU’s “Everything But Arms” scheme which allows the world’s least developed countries to export most goods to the European Union free of duties. But the Commission said its investigation had confirmed that a significant increase in imports of longer-grained Indica rice from Cambodia and Myanmar had damaged EU producers. 

From Jan. 18 it will set a duty of 175 euros (£155) per tonne of rice in the first year, dropping to 150 euros in the second and 125 euros in year three, it said'.

Southeast Asia Globe (Jan. 18) adds:

'Starting today, Cambodia and Myanmar will be forced to pay hefty tariffs to export rice to the European Union – and farmers fear that it will leave both nations’ rice industries in critical condition'.

It also looks at the implications. 
In short term, Cambodia's rice export sector will have to absorb the additional duties to be paid. 
Long term though, it's presumed that other markets will have to be found. Co-incidence or not, but the PM is off to China shortly looking for increased market opportunities.

The Khmer Times (Dec. 10) had an interesting look at the current problem:

'A year ago, the European Union offered Cambodia the option of using a unique Harmonised Systems Code (HS Code) for its Jasmine fragrant rice and white rice to differentiate it from other Indica rice, a move that could have saved the nation from the conundrum it now finds itself in. 
But this did not materialise because of what some have described as a powerful combination of apathy and arrogance that led key players to believe that Cambodia could not be harmed so long as she is shielded by the Everything-but -arms (EBA) privileges rendered to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). 
Then the ball dropped. EU launched a safeguard inquiry to determine whether imports of semi-milled and milled Indica rice from Cambodia and Myanmar resulted in “serious difficulties to EU producers of like or competing products”.
...
While criticism is rife that the government and the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) could have scuttled the entire classification process with a forceful and united front against the EU, there is also the long-standing quandary of whether Cambodian rice is of the Indica variety or not.
The truth is that Cambodia produces Jasmine fragrant rice and white rice for the EU market, which fall squarely under the Indica rice classification.
... 
Critics opine that Cambodia is ‘crying’ because not only did the letters sent by major rice exporters Amru Rice and Signatures of Asia lack exposure in the EU and were a tad emotional, but also the entire move to safe the nation from the tariffs was allegedly devoid of a united front. 
They also alleged that the cartels in CRF made up of rice exporters were more interested in sustaining a profit margin than fighting for the sake of rice farmers, which they fervently claim to do. 
According to a source close to the issue, exporters and millers, who largely make up CRF, are said to buy rice from farmers at low rates, often below market prices'.

So, own fault?

Challenged
The advent of the new year has meant a look at the past year in which exports of rice failed to grow.

The Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 11):

'The Kingdom’s rice exports saw a 1.5 per cent drop last year compared to 2017 due to the industry’s lingering challenges – the cost of production and competition with the international market. 
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries figures show that the country exported 626,225 tonnes of rice last year, decreasing 1.5 per cent from 635,679 tonnes in 2017. 
According to the figures, the main destinations for rice exports were the EU with a total of 269,127 tonnes and China with 170,154 tonnes'.

Earlier the same source (Jan. 9) also noted an increase in value of rice, which to a degree offsets the lagging export figures. At least for farmers:

'As a result of more rice facilities constantly being installed, the price of paddy rice for the 2018-2019 season was between 900 riel and 1,300 riel ($0.22 and $0.32) per kg, an increase on the previous season, according to industry insiders. 
Cambodia Rice Federation vice-president Vong Bun Heng noted that the price was a 25 per cent increase on the 2017-2018 season. The price depends on the type of rice and its quality, with premium paddy rice sold at 1,300 riel per kg, with normal rice sold at 900 riel per kg, according to Bun Heng'.

Agribusinessglobal (Jan. 16) looks at what seems to be a lesser positive development, environmentally:

'BASF on Wednesday inaugurated its first wholly-owned company in Cambodia: BASF (Cambodia) Co. Ltd., and will launch three new crop protection products in the country.
 ...
“Though Cambodia has quickly become a leading exporter of high-quality premium rice, a number of challenges remain for the country’s agricultural sector, including relatively lower levels of technology use and understanding by growers on how best to utilize innovations,” said Martin Wolf, ASEAN Business Director, BASF Agricultural Solutions. “We believe BASF is well suited to help address these challenges and are excited to help Cambodian farmers become more profitable and sustainable.”
... 
Three new crop protection products will be initially launched, empowering farmers and growers with more tools in their toolbox to manage their crops:
Basagran [Bentazon] Herbicide – for broadleaf weeds and sedges in rice
Tetris Herbicide [profoxydim]– for weed grasses in rice
Regent 50 SC Insecticide [Fipronil]– for stemborer, thrips and leaf folder in rice'.

Urge
Regionally, it's also about statistics.

Bangkok Post (Jan. 8) looks back at the year gone:

'Thailand exported 11.13 million tonnes of rice worth US$5.62 billion in 2018, but exports will drop this year, according to the Foreign Trade Department. Director-general Adul Chotinisakorn said on Tuesday that last year's rice exports were worth 180.41 billion baht, met the target and helped raise local paddy prices and farm incomes. He expected exports would drop slightly this year. The department would try to increase the export value and encourage farmers to grow quality rice and high-demand rice'.

The Nation (Jan. 9) notes that the remaining rice of the rice-pledging scheme is now off the market:

'All 16.84 million tonnes of rice in the government stockpile have now been released to the markets, securing some Bt145.08 billion in sales over the few years, according to the Ministry of Commerce.Adul Chotinisakorn, director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce , said the department had cleared all of the remaining stock under the present administration from May 2014 to December last year.As a result, the government no longer bears the storage cost of more than Bt1 billion per month. Furthermore, the sales will normalise rice production, trade and prices according to market mechanism, while Thailand will gain the confidence of local and foreign consumers, he said'.

Then this piece of news from Thailand. Bangkok Post (Dec. 10):

'Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has urged the Commerce and Agriculture and Cooperatives ministries to work with manufacturers to cut fertiliser prices by 30% to support the farm sector'.

Sometimes the Thai government just does not know what to do. Go organic, self-sufficient or chemi-agriculture? Fact is, current fertilizers are often of poor quality. Now that's an area the junta itself can improve ...

Phnom Penh Post (Dec. 18) looks at Lao affairs:

'Laos has achieved its target for exporting rice to China this month after the IDP Rice Mill of Laos signed a trading agreement with China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (Cofco) in November.
 Last year, the Chinese government agreed to purchase 20,000 tonnes of rice from Laos through Xuanye (Lao) Co Ltd, but up to October the country had exported just 16,800 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. 
The company first exported 1,000 tonnes of rice and will be exporting the remaining 2,200 tonnes by the end of this month, Minister of Industry and Commerce Khemmani Pholsena informed Parliament'.

Slowed

Looking at the main alternatives for rice in Cambodia, the Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 8) adds on corn:

'Cambodian corn production saw slow development last year with crop yields increasing a mere two per cent on 2017 to 715,000 tonnes, remaining far short of Cambodia’s peak in 2012 when production reached nearly one million tonnes.
According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures – endorsed by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon – Cambodian corn production amounted to 715,000 tonnes last year, up from 700,000 tonnes in 2017. 
However, the USDA data highlighted a big gap compared to Cambodia’s peak in 2012 when corn production amounted to 951,000 tonnes, the highest since records began in 1960. 
Sakhon said on Sunday that the Kingdom’s corn production is slowed by the fact that the crop is still grown on smaller scale family farms, while market prices fluctuate annually due to a lack of modernisation of growing and drying methods'.

Khmer Times (Jan. 10) reports on investments in the kingdom's cassava sector:

'TWPC Investment (Cambodia) Co Ltd, from Thailand, will start cassava-processing operations this year in Oddar Meanchey, absorbing the entire cassava production from the province, said Ho Ren Hua, director of the company. 
Mr Ren Hua said this during a meeting on Tuesday with Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon, adding that his company invested in the agro-industry here after receiving approval from the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts at the end of 2017.
 “Currently, the company has completed the construction of the factory but the processing stage will start soon. There are plans to expand the production of cassava from 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes and increase processing capacity to 200,000 tonnes in the future'.

Phnom Penh Post (Dec. 19) adds:

'Hong Kong-based Green Leader Holdings Group Co Ltd, which announced its first cassava processing factory earlier this year, aims to commence operations by next year, according to Green Leader (Cambodia) Co Ltd CEO Gao Hua. 
The company is set to invest a total of $150 million in the cassava industry, which its first broke ground in April in Kratie province. Construction has been delayed, with the factory originally planned to be launched by the end of the year.
“The factory is nearly 70 per cent completed, as it was delayed due to rainy season and some technicalities in construction. The installation facility has already been prepared and we are awaiting shipments from China,” Gao said, adding that the factory is to commence operations by February next year. The Kratie province factory is located on 20ha of land in Snuol district, making it the largest such facility in Cambodia. It will be able to process some 600,000 tonnes of fresh cassava roots per year, with an annual production capacity of 150,000 tonnes of modified starch'.

On a side note, the Khmer Times (Dec. 12) has news on exports that take place via Vietnam. And it's not good:

'Local exporters have voiced concern over new customs regulations in Vietnam that require the submission of phytosanitary certificates for agricultural and livestock transshipments, arguing that they represent a significant barrier to trade. 
According to a circular issued by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, agricultural goods and livestock being shipped to a third country through Vietnam must be placed under quarantine.
As per the regulation, exporters are also required to present phytosanitary certifications at the loading port (Phnom Penh) as well as the Vietnamese port through which the shipment will be conducted'.

Markets and more
Then a listing of other Cambodia ag news mostly cropping.
Starting with pepper. The Phnom Penh Post (Dec. 7):

'The Kingdom’s non-GI pepper farmers continue to struggle due to low prices while cultivation is projected to decline next year, said Dar-Memot Pepper Agriculture Development Cooperative executive director Yin Sopha. 
Sopha said the market price for non-GI pepper this year is still under the margin of cost production, as the sector is expected not to expand next year. 
Since the beginning of the harvest season, pepper prices have stood at $2.6 per kg, which are under the profit margin. He said the lower price is due to the global market. 
“Pepper prices cannot increase anymore, as the pepper industry’s global supply is more than the need – the price is not beneficial for farmers and the growth of cultivation will not increase anymore. 
”Sopha said that the sector would no longer be a viable investment option if prices keep dropping'.

The  Khmer Times (Dec. 27) continues:

'The Kampot Pepper Promotion Association has sold just 50 tonnes of the coveted commodity, an 80 percent drop compared to last year.
 The dip in sales follows a decrease in production due to unfavorable weather conditions throughout the year, the association reported. 
Total pepper production decreased by about 30 tonnes, the association said, amounting to just 70 tonnes in 2018. This has been explained as the result of heavy downpours during the beginning of the growing season. 
Only about 50 tonnes of the crop were sold to export companies, 80 tonnes less than in 2017, said Ngoun Lay, president of the Kampot Pepper Promotion Association, who explained that the market has shrank'.

Then on to another niche product. The Khmer Times (Dec. 11) on palm sugar:

'Kampong Speu province’s palm sugar will be recognised as a geographical indication (GI) in the European Union early next year, an official from the Ministry of Commerce said. 
Op Rady, director of intellectual property at the ministry, told Khmer Times that palm sugar from Kampong Speu, which is already considered a GI product in the Kingdom, will become the second Cambodian product to be awarded GI status by the EU, and that registration will happen early 2019. 
He explained, however, that the process is taking longer than expected.
... 
Chan Sokheang, chairman and CEO of Signatures of Asia, told Khmer Times that his company plans to purchase about 130 tonnes of organic palm sugar from Kampong Speu and other Cambodian provinces. 
Signatures of Asia will spend around $234,000 to buy the palm sugar, which will be exported to the EU, mainly Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, and France, Mr Sokheang added'.

Onwards to the fruit and veggies. The Khmer Times (Jan. 4)

'The area around Boeung Tamouk Lake, in the outskirts of Phnom Penh, will be built into a massive market to centralise the supply of locally grown and imported vegetables, according to recently revealed government plans. 
The project, which will see 20 hectares around the lake developed to host the market, has already been endorsed by Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to a letter that the Office of the Council of Ministers sent yesterday to the Ministry of Land Management to request a construction permit for the project'.

Banana's. The Khmer Times (Jan. 11):

'Longmate Agriculture is shipping banana containers to China through Vietnam to prepare for its first direct shipment to the East Asian giant, a company representative said.
Longmate Agriculture, a joint venture of Chinese and local investors, is preparing a direct shipment of bananas to China. It will be the first time Cambodia exports the fruit to China.
...
Bananas will become the fourth agricultural product that Cambodia exports to the Chinese market, together with maize, cassava, and milled rice.
... 
Longmate Agriculture is now cultivating 400 hectares of land in Kampot province’s Chhouk district. It plans to grow the plantation to 1,000 hectares in the future.
The company will export about 25,000 tonnes of bananas this year and plans to double the figure in 2020'.

Khmer Times (Jan. 3) on pomelo's:

'After obtaining Geographical Indication (GI) status in June, demand for the pomelo grown in Kratie’s Koh Trong commune has spiked, with producers planning an expansion to meet it. 
The Koh Trong pomelo is only the third Cambodia product to be given the distinction, following Kampot pepper and Kampong Speu’s palm sugar. 
Chan Rina, president of the Koh Trong Pomelo Producer Association, said after GI status was awarded to their pomelo they have been unable to produce enough to satisfy rising demand from locals'.

Taxed
The Khmer Times (Dec. 11):

'Rubber export prices saw a continuous decrease this year impacted by uncertainties created by the US-China trade war and a surplus of rubber in the international market, insiders said yesterday. 
As of last week, rubber prices fell to $1,260 per ton from $1,500 early this year, said Men Sopheak, vice president of Chop Rubber Plantation in Tboung Khmum province.
 In the last months of 2016, a ton sold for $1,700, but from January to March of 2017 it traded at $2,200. Prices went down to $1600 in December last year, according to data from the General Directorate of Rubber at the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The fall in prices is caused by the US-China trade war which is putting pressure on China, a big rubber importer, to fight for cheaper rubber prices. This is resulting in an oversupply of rubber in the global market,” he added.
...
"The rubber export tax is still an issue for the local rubber exporters because the government takes $50 in taxes per ton of rubber, which sells for $1,000 or more. However, our production costs amount to $1,400 or more per ton.
“We would like to request the government not to tax rubber exports because other rubber-producing countries do not tax the sector,” Mr Heng said, adding that giving tax incentives will attract investors into the country.
Despite the decline in prices, from January to October, Cambodia exported 161,527 tonnes of rubber, an increase of 23 percent compared to the same period in 2017, according to the ministry'.

Khmer Times (Dec. 20) reports on how the Cambodia does not seem to be stimulating its own rubber sector:

'The Ministry of Agriculture is now discussing the Rubber Law with industry players and plans to send a draft to the Council of Ministers for approval next year, according to a high-ranking official.
... 
Lim Heng, vice president of An Mady Group, told Khmer Times that far from boosting the rubber industry, the law will increase the burden on the private sector. 
As per the current draft, businesses and investors involved in the rubber sector will have to secure a myriad of licenses before beginning operations. The amount of red tape involved will significantly increase, making it a much longer and arduous process for those interested in entering the market, he said.
...
General Department of Rubber’s Mr Sopha, however, said that the law simply provides a foundation, and that it is meant to serve as a guideline. Once passed, it will be enhanced with a series of sub-decress and a strategic plan for the sector to ensure that farmers and businesses are not negatively impacted'.

The Khmer Times (Dec. 21) also notes how a passed stimulus for the cashew sector is yet to take place:

'The Agriculture Ministry yesterday said Cambodia is still waiting for Vietnamese companies to invest in Cambodia’s cashew, after a Memorandum of Understanding was signed almost a year ago. 
In January, the ministry signed the MoU with the Vietnam Cashew Association to bolster Cambodia’s cashew production to one million tonnes per year.
“They wanted to come to sign an agricultural contract with local farmers to export cashew nuts, but until now I have not received any new requests from the Vietnamese side to invest here,” said Kong Pheach, director of the ministry’s agro-industry department.'

Some news from Laos, oddly that the source is Cambodian. The Phnom Penh Post (Jan. 10) looks at coffee:

'Coffee growers in southern Laos are asking for government assistance to create a fund to support coffee bean processing and provide technical advice to local growers following the recent slump in the market price.
Lao Coffee Association head Sivixay Xayyaseng told Vientiane Times: “The price of green coffee has fallen due to increasing supply on the global market. Especially increased green coffee bean production from Indonesia which is one of the biggest exporters. 
”Export Grade A green coffee beans, the highest quality grown in Laos, are currently shipping to Japan for $2,200 per tonne while Grade D green coffee beans fetch $1,300 per tonne in Vietnam. Grade A beans hit a peak of $4,800 per tonne in the past.
 About 6kg of coffee cherries are needed to produce 1kg of green coffee beans. The grade is dependent on many factors such as the quality of the coffee cherries as well as the processing. 
The recent fall in the coffee price has also adversely affected local processers'.

To be
Finally, on topic (slightly) The Guardian (Jan. 13) let's readers get acquainted with what they say are five genetically modified fruits. 
Problems are what do we call GM? 
For instance two examples provided employ CRISPR techniques. Are they GM or not? They are certainly a technique which favours big biz, that's for sure. 
Interesting comments under this article. 
See also this Guardian article (Jul. 25, 2018):

'Plants and animals created by innovative gene-editing technology have been genetically modified and should be regulated as such, the EU’s top court has ruled.
The landmark decision ends 10 years of debate in Europe about what is – and is not – a GM food, with a victory for environmentalists, and a bitter blow to Europe’s biotech industry.
 It also marks a setback for UK scientists who took advantage of a legal grey area to begin field trials of gene edited camelina crops, augmented with Omega-3 fish oils'