Chinese authorities have agreed to speed up the review of applications of 40 Cambodian firms that want to export rice to the Chinese market, according to local media.
Phnom Penh (VNA) – Chinese authorities have agreed to speed up thereview of applications of 40 Cambodian firms that want to export rice to theChinese market, according to local media.
The Chinese side agreed to prioritise work reviewing the applications of the 40Cambodian firms at a meeting in Beijing this week between the CambodianMinistry of Agriculture and China’s General Administration of QualitySupervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), Khmer Times reported.
The meeting aimed to discuss Cambodian exports to China, particularly rice,bananas and mangoes.
During the first round of reviews, 26 local rice traders passed thequality-control tests and were permitted to export rice to China.
“The second round of reviews is taking place soon and those that gain approvalwill be able to send their rice to China,” the paper quoted Ngin Chhay,director-general of the ministry’s General Directorate of Agriculture, assaying.
The decision by AQSIQ is seen as an important development that will helpCambodia achieve its goal of fulfilling its rice export quota in the Chinesemarket, said the English-language newspaper.
According to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), Cambodia exported 157,793tonnes of rice to China from January to September. Exports to China accountedfor 39.6 percent of Cambodia’s total rice exports.
Last year, Cambodia was unable to meet its rice export quota in the Chinesemarket, shipping only 170,000 tonnes out of the 300,000 allowed. This year,however, CRF is confident the Kingdom will be able to ship all the 300,000tonnes of rice that it is allowed./.
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