Cambodian sugar shipments not so sweet, fall almost 50%
Cambodian sugar shipments not so sweet, fall almost 50%
Cambodia exported $18.95 million worth of sugar products in the first half of this year, down 43.89 per cent from $33.79 million in the year-ago period, General Department of Customs and Excise data show.
Ministry of Commerce spokesman Seang Thay said the Kingdom’s sugar products include cane and beet sugar, chemically pure sucrose (in solid form) and raw sugar not containing added flavouring or colouring matter.
It also shipped other sugars, such as chemically pure lactose, maltose, glucose, sugar confectionery (including white chocolate) not containing cocoa, he added.
Kampong Speu Palm Sugar Promotion Association (KSPSPA) president Sam Saroeun told The Post on Monday that 100 tonnes of Kampong Speu palm sugar, a GI product, had been exported following the 2019-2020 harvest season, similar to the year before.
The crop starts annually in December and runs through to June the following year, he said.
“This harvest season, our producers will not be able to fully keep up with the 200 tonnes of market demand domestically and internationally,” Saroeun said.
In a move to meet the needs of the export market, he said KSPSPA will increase its producer membership from 100 to 150.
“The association has been promoting the Kampong Speu palm sugar brand to local consumers to prevent counterfeiting,” he said.
He said companies purchase the sugar from members at 6,000 riel ($1.50) per kg, a similar rate to last year.
According to Saroeun, 10 companies export palm sugar to 25 countries, with the EU taking the lion’s share, followed by China, South Korea and Japan.
During a visit to a Phnom Penh Sugar Co Ltd factory production line in December, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon said the plant has the daily capacity to refine 1,000 tonnes of sugar and produce 1,000 tonnes of raw sugar.
Raw sugar contains a little molasses, which tints the crystals a beige colour.
Today, Sakhon said, the domestic market and Vietnam are the company’s largest destinations. “The company plans to further ramp up exports to overseas markets,” he said.
Phnom Penh Sugar is headed by prominent local tycoon Ly Yong Phat. It has invested more than $200 million in its sugar refining facility at its plantation in Kampong Speu province.
