A reception is held at the Qinzhou Free Trade Port on Friday morning for the first direct export of fresh Cambodian mangoes to China. SUPPLIED
With the support of the Chinese government to provide greater market access for Cambodia, 170 tonnes of fresh Cambodian Keo Romiet mangoes arrived in the largest economy regional on May 20, delivering the Kingdom’s first direct shipment.
The inaugural export left Cambodian shores on May 7 at a ceremony commemorating the historic occasion.
Cambodian commercial attache in China Tang Liseng said the shipment arrived at the port city of Qinzhou of Guangxi Autonomous Region on May 20, with the Qinzhou Free Trade Port Management Committee holding a reception for the mangoes the following morning.
The attache, based in Guangxi’s Nanning city just over 100km north of Qinzhou, noted that the 170 tonnes of fresh mangoes arrived in eight containers, or an average of 21.25 tonnes per unit.
He said the reception was attended by leaders of the port authority, Qinzhou city, the Consulate General of Cambodia in Nanning and the Beibu Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin) Foreign Affairs Office.
More than 100 leaders of the Nanning Customs Administration, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and Business Promotion Office Management, as well as company officials were also in attendance, he said.
On April 26, Chinese Customs approved a list of 37 mango plantations and five packaging factories to export fresh Keo Romiet mangoes to China.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying told a regular press conference on May 14 that China has taken “special measures” to facilitate the import of quality fresh Cambodian mangoes and expects 100,000 tonnes of the fruit to reach its shores this year.
She said: “Relevant departments overcame challenges posed by Covid-19 and managed to pull through this efficient and practical trade cooperation in agricultural products through the innovative means of quarantine inspection through videoconference.
“The cooperation not only helps meet the demands of Chinese consumers by adding choices to the fruit market, but also helps Cambodian farmers to generate more incomes and tide over the challenging times amid Covid-19,” Hua claimed.
“The news received much attention and warm welcome from all sectors in Cambodia. The cooperation is so much more than just the mango fruit. It embodies the brotherly friendship between our two countries.
“As Cambodia’s iron-clad friend sharing weal and woe, China will work with Cambodia to continuously deepen practical cooperation in various fields, including agricultural produce, so as to bring more tangible benefits to both peoples,” she added.
As of 2020, mangoes are grown on 130,000ha in the Kingdom, of which 91,104ha (70.08 per cent) are harvested. Mango production reaches an average of more than 1.38 million tonnes per season.
