VIENTIANE: Laos’ Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the Kingdom of Cambodia have agreed to strengthen their partnership in agriculture and speed up cross-border agricultural commerce.
The agreement was cemented at a meeting held in Vientiane on Monday (June 23) to launch a new route that will allow Cambodian agricultural produce to reach the Chinese market through Laos, marking a significant step in enhancing regional supply chains and trade integration.
The meeting was co-chaired by Laos’ Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, and Cambodia’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Dith Tina.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation under a Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation covering the period 2023-2027.
The ministers stressed the importance of creating a more conducive environment for private-sector participation, investment, and agricultural trade between Laos and Cambodia.
A major topic of discussion was the promotion of business-to-business partnerships and the need to spur direct engagement between Lao and Cambodian businesses, opening up new opportunities for investment in agricultural production, processing, logistics, and value-chain development.
One of the most significant outcomes of the meeting was the decision to allow Cambodia to ship agricultural produce to China via Laos.
Cambodia is preparing to export six crops through Laos to China, namely durian, bananas, rice, mangoes, longan and cassava.
The first shipment will be celebrated with an inauguration ceremony at the Thanalaeng Dry Port, symbolising a new era of regional trade connectivity and economic cooperation.
In parallel, Laos is preparing to export crops to Cambodia, namely coffee, cabbage, tamarind, glutinous rice, blueberries and pumpkins.
The two sides reviewed progress to date in cooperation on agricultural cooperatives, commercial rice production, fisheries, forestry management, wildlife conservation, and climate-related initiatives, especially compliance with the international CITES Convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). – Vientiane Times/ANN
