PM wants to use COVID crisis to reform agriculture

rime Minister Hun Sen has reiterated the need to use the COVID-19 crisis to improve the Kingdom’s agriculture and expects to export more food products while pushing aquatic farming. Speaking to fish farmers during a visit to the Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Development Centre in Prey Veng province yesterday, Mr Hun Sen said that Cambodia’s aquatic sector produced 50,000 tonnes of fish in 2009 and increased that to more than 374,000 tonnes in 2019.

“According to this result, the country’s fish production has increased about 20 percent a year and if we could increase more, we not only supply local demand but will be able to export to the region and the world as well,” he said. The Prime Minister has also instructed the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) to increase more aquafarming specialists to improve the supply of fish as well as the process for exports.

“Vietnam exports $3 billion of tilapia fish a year so we need to learn the technical side of things from neighbouring countries that have more experience and better technology,” he said. “We cannot rely on fishery products from a lack of river any more. We need to promote the aquatic sector, grow more, raise more animals and process food to export.”

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