Raw cashews in Cambodia are down slightly despite rising export demand

Oum Uon, chairman of Kampong Thomcho, a Cambodian cashew producer, said raw cashew nuts had dropped from 7,000 riels per kilogram in March to 6,000 riels per kilogram USD / kg) in May. Say Mengly, director of processing company Solar Phum Yeung and Cashew Plant in Cambodia's Kampong Thom province, also said his company bought raw cashew nuts for $ 2 a kilogram in March, but now The price is only 1.5 USD / kg. Cashew kernels of Cambodia in the past also went up 2-2.5 per kg.

However, processed cashew nuts are priced at $ 15-17 / kg.

According to Uon, demand for cashew nuts from abroad is high, especially in Korea and Japan. Demand from these two countries is up to 100 tonnes per year, but the Association does not have enough funds to procure reserves for processing. The Association (20 members) can only buy about 15 tonnes this year to supply to the domestic market and export.

And Mengly, the cashew nut importers from his company in addition to the Netherlands, India and China, demand from Vietnam is quite high. This year, his company has bought about 300 tonnes, more than doubling in 2016. The company intends to buy double the quantity next season if it receives support from private processing companies.

Thiv Vanthy, director of the Kampong Thom Agriculture Department, said demand for cashew nuts tended to increase year by year. He called on private producers to sign contracts with cashew growers for export processing.

"We always support farmers in accessing new techniques in crop care, harvesting and preservation. Our specialists are always available to assist them, "Vanthy added.

Vanthy also agreed that the price of cashew nuts had fallen in the middle and at the end of the harvest season compared to the beginning of the season, though that price was acceptable to the farmers.

Source: Economy & Consumer