[INNEWS comprehensive report] Hun Lak, CEO of Cambodian mango exporter Rich Farm Asia, said that in the first seven months of 2023, due to unfavorable weather factors affecting mango production, Cambodia’s fresh mango exports to the international market will still decrease.
In the past 2 to 3 years, weather factors and pests have not only reduced the mango harvest, but also affected the yield and quality of mangoes. Most of the harvest is common mangoes, which cannot meet the demand of the international market, which is why the export volume of fresh mangoes is low. However, it is worth noting that the export of processed mangoes or dried mango products has increased significantly.
Affected by the weather, the quality of mango exports dropped sharply in the first seven months of this year, but the exports of dried mango products rose sharply. Currently, the company only exports dried fruit products.
Hun Lak pointed out that based on experience, he recommends and encourages investors to seize opportunities and open more processing businesses (agricultural products), which can not only enhance domestic processing capacity and drive exports, but also help Cambodia gain added value.
In the first half of this year, Cambodia’s fresh mango exports fell by 20.9 percent to 91,687 tons from 115,951 tons in 2022, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The export volume of dried mangoes increased by 43.38%, from 11,768.64 tons to 16,873.51 tons. Countries that buy fresh and dried mangoes from Cambodia include Vietnam, China, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, the UK, and the US. Lim Heng, vice president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, once said that because some agricultural products depend on the Chinese market, when China restricts the import of goods, it will inevitably lead to a decline in exports.
However, when the situation in the Chinese market improves, exports may jump because China is a large and convenient market for delivery. In addition, the continued entry into force of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements will contribute to the marketization of Cambodia’s agricultural product market.
It should be mentioned that starting from May 2021, the General Administration of Customs of China has officially approved the export of Cambodian fresh mangoes to China.
