Preah Vihear and Pursat provinces can issue the CO Form D to exporters at the provinces from December 9 onwards, which makes it easier for them to apply from their locations. Heng Chivoan
Two more provinces have been allowed to issue the certificate of origin (CO) Form D which makes it easier for exporters to apply from their locations. In future commerce departments in each province will carry out this function.
Preah Vihear and Pursat provinces can issue the CO Form D to exporters at the provinces from December 9 onwards, a Ministry of Commerce statement said.
“Traders and producers of agricultural products in the two northeastern provinces can directly apply for the form online and can obtain the CO Form D at their respective provincial commerce departments,” it said.
The CO Form D is required by Asean countries that import agricultural products from Cambodia.
The ministry decided to allow provincial commerce departments to issue the form in a bid to facilitate traders applying for it.
Before 2017, traders, especially exporters in the provinces had to apply for the form from the ministry, which was time-consuming.
“The ministry will continue to delegate the issuance of CO Form D for exporting agricultural products to all provincial commerce departments in the near future,” the statement said.
Preah Vihear provincial Department of Commerce director Phan Sam Ang said such authorisation from the ministry is a positive step as it will be more convenient and save exporters from undue cost and time.
“We already have a system in our provincial commerce department so that traders or exporters can apply there.
“This is a very positive sign by the government to facilitate business,” Sam Ang said. He added that most businesses in his province mainly exported agricultural products to neighboring countries, particularly Thailand.
However, he doesn’t have data about the volume of exports from his province.
Commerce department director in Pursat province, Chhun Sereyrath, said her officials will disseminate the announcement so that all traders and business communities in the province can apply to it for the CO.
“Starting from tomorrow, our officials will visit the business communities and inform them to apply for the CO at our office without having to travel to Phnom Penh for the purpose,” she said.
According to Sereyrath, her province is rich in agricultural products such as cassava and orange which are mainly exported to Vietnam and Thailand.
Since 2017, the Commerce Ministry has delegated the issuance of CO Form D to nine provinces -Ratanakkiri, Tbong Khmum, Pailin, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Kratie, Stung Treng and Mondulkiri.
With provincial departments of commerce now being able to issue the form, the application process for a CO will take just 16 hours compared to 10 days to two weeks if applied at the ministry in Phnom Penh.
