The Institute of Statistics Cambodia issued two new draft standards yesterday, one for cashew nuts and another for chicken- and duck-feed production.

The new guidelines aim to bring the products in line with international standards and also help producers increase their exports.

Chan Borin, director general of Institute of Statistic of Cambodia, said the new guidelines will help give the products more international recognition, as it will spell out how they are produced and processed, adding value to their existing prices.

“Once we have standards to make the quality of cashew nuts recognised, the process of negotiating export of the products will be easier,” he said.

“It will help to boost trade and encourage farmers to expand the production.”

The two draft documents will now have to be approved by the National Standards Council within 30 days, and in the meantime parties involved in two farming practices can submit their comments on the proposed principles.

Currently, the ISC has issued around 500 standards, of which 300 are for food products and 50 for electronic and mechanical products.

Um Oun, president of Prasat Sambor Cashew Association that consists of 383 farmers, welcomed the new rules, saying that it will help to earn recognition for good quality cashew nuts.

He said that in the past, members of his association were trained in production techniques; but these processes did not have any institutional certification.

“We have been waiting for years on these standards recognition,” he said.

“It will encourage farmers to focus on strengthening the quality in order to sell our products at a higher price.”

The president of Kampong Thom Cashew Nut Association, Siv Ngy, predicted that Cambodia’s total cashew nut production would reach more than 30,000 tonnes from a cultivation area of 20,000 hectares this year.

There was potentially a further 100,000 hectares for production, but government policy was needed to help support the industry, Ngy said last week.