The Ministry of Planning is to release today preliminary results of Cambodia’s first agricultural industry census, which promises to provide the biggest ever snapshot of the key sector.

According to a press release issued yesterday by the ministry, the census’ preliminary results will include the number of agricultural businesses currently operating in the country, the types of activities performed by those businesses and the number of households and share of Cambodia’s population engaged in those activities.

“The results from the finding of this agricultural census will allow the government to evaluate the current Cambodian agricultural sector and prepare policies or strategies, which could help to answer the needs of finding,” Hang Lina, director general of the National Institute of Statistic said.

According to Lina, the industry-wide survey cost some $5 million to complete and was funded and supported jointly by the Cambodian government, AusAid, Sida, FAO and USAID.

Lina added that a full, in depth copy of the census, which will be paired with an analysis of the results, is not expected to be released until December this year.