Thousands of local people gathered to attend the Cambodian RoyalPloughing ceremony, presided over by King Norodom Shihamoni on May 6 inBattambang province, to wish for abundant harvests.
Event participants included President of the National Assembly ofCambodia Heng Samrin, high-profile officials and diplomats.
The ancient royal rite, which marks the traditional beginning of therice growing season, began with solemn processions of earth and waterfollowed by a symbolic ploughing of a portion of the field with riceseeds scattered into the newly ploughed furrow.
After that, a pair of royal oxen was led to seven dishes of rice, corn,beans, sesame, grass, water, liquor and water. Based on what the oxeneat, court astrologers make predictions of the weather, epidemics andyields of the new growing season.
During thisyear’s ritual, the oxen ate beans and corn, representing goodexpectations for a bountiful harvest of those grains this year.
Later, King Norodom Sihamoni, accompanied by other guests, visitedthe exhibition on the province’s agricultural achievements and products.
Located 300 kilometres away from the capitalcity of Phnom Penh, northwest Battamband province is regarded as thegranary of Cambodia.
The agriculture sector ofthe country has grown 3-4 percent annually over the past few years,generating around one third of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Cambodia produced 9.32 tonnes of paddy rice in 2014, 4.7 tonnes ofwhich (or around 3 million tonnes of rice) were exported.-VNA
Event participants included President of the National Assembly ofCambodia Heng Samrin, high-profile officials and diplomats.
The ancient royal rite, which marks the traditional beginning of therice growing season, began with solemn processions of earth and waterfollowed by a symbolic ploughing of a portion of the field with riceseeds scattered into the newly ploughed furrow.
After that, a pair of royal oxen was led to seven dishes of rice, corn,beans, sesame, grass, water, liquor and water. Based on what the oxeneat, court astrologers make predictions of the weather, epidemics andyields of the new growing season.
During thisyear’s ritual, the oxen ate beans and corn, representing goodexpectations for a bountiful harvest of those grains this year.
Later, King Norodom Sihamoni, accompanied by other guests, visitedthe exhibition on the province’s agricultural achievements and products.
Located 300 kilometres away from the capitalcity of Phnom Penh, northwest Battamband province is regarded as thegranary of Cambodia.
The agriculture sector ofthe country has grown 3-4 percent annually over the past few years,generating around one third of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Cambodia produced 9.32 tonnes of paddy rice in 2014, 4.7 tonnes ofwhich (or around 3 million tonnes of rice) were exported.-VNA
