Ministry of Commerce secretary of state Chhuon Dara urged manufacturers and craftsmen to pay attention to developing products that will attract consumers.
At the trade fair in Battambang province, which kicked off on March 10, Dara said that the development of attractive packaging was also important.
“Research has shown that modern packaging indicates a high quality, and therefore trustworthy product in the eyes of many consumers,” he continued.
The Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) organised the trade fair to encourage local market activity following the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
“The private sector is working hard to cooperate with the government, as can be seen by the chamber of commerce’s efforts. I ask that Cambodian producers make more efforts to grow, harvest or manufacture goods that will serve the many new markets the ministry has opened,” said Dara.
He encouraged the CCC and its partners to expand commercial activities and also suggested that they hold more trade fairs in other provinces – especially those with tourist potential.
Battambang Chamber of Commerce president Phou Veasna said the fair marked the first time this year his organisation had pushed local commercial activity on such a wide scale.
“We hope that the event was not just a showcase of the exciting products that the province offers, but also a chance for CCC to explore new markets. It will also be a chance to discuss challenges, whether in terms of production or market penetration,” he added.
Lim Socheat, vice-president of the CCC, said the fair focused on strengthening market structures through bringing together the providers of a wide range of products and services.
“Hopefully, each of the participants will have learned from one another’s experiences. They were also able to attend consultative workshops over the three days of the fair,” he added.
“The workshops covered topics as diverse as production, boosting markets, strengthening management and even the development of new products,” he continued.
This year’s trade fair was held from March 10-12 in Battambang town, and featured entirely local fruit, vegetables and products.
