At first glance, the humble lotus plant appears quite ordinary. Yet, its stems hide an exquisite secret, yielding a silk-like fibre that is woven into high-end fabrics and Khmer scarves or krama. With prices soaring to $300 per square metre, demand for these handicrafts has grown exponentially over the past decade.

On To Vanna’s lotus plantation in Phnom Krom village, Siem Reap province, the sight of pink lotus flowers interspersed with other hues creates a breathtaking spectacle. The serene dance of these blossoms upon the surface of the water is an arresting sight.

Vanna, a father of six, leases four hectares of pond land for lotus cultivation. The annual rent of one million riel per hectare is worthwhile given the diversity of his crop – large-flowered heavy lotuses, small-flowered light ones, and red and white versions of the densely layered lotus.

His primary focus is not just the stems, but the whole plant. He sells the flowers, fruits, and leaves before offloading the stems, which fetch him 500,000 riel per hectare. Particularly suited to fabric production are the heavy and light lotus varieties, three months old and bearing fine fibres.

“I supply stems to the handicraft industry, who mainly purchase in bulk, once per hectare. If they buy to resell, the price is 400 riel per kilogram,” he told The Post.

Chim Savin, manager of the ‘Lotus Farm’ handicraft business, purchases raw lotus stems from local farmers for fibre extraction. The company, located near Phnom Krom in Siem Reap, produces fabrics, kramas, and face masks from lotus fibres.

“Before Covid-19, we sourced stems from over 100 farmers across Battambang and Siem Reap provinces,” said Savin. “We employed many, but now only 10 remain. Similarly, Battambang’s lotus farmers have dwindled. We buy fibres from them at $3.50 per 100 meters and only weave fabric or krama upon receiving customer orders”.

Savin shared the complex process of fibre extraction. The lotus stems are cut, washed, bundled, halved, and painstakingly pulled apart by hand to reveal the fibres, which are pressed and placed in a basket. Only five metres of fibre are yielded from one kilogram of stems.

Made to order, the weaving of a krama, 0.30 meters wide and 1.50 meters long, takes three weeks and costs $300 per square meter, with Cambodian customers receiving a 10 per cent discount. Most products find their way to boutiques in the United States and France.

“Cambodian support for lotus silk products is limited,” she confessed. “Overseas, only 5 per cent of Cambodians support us, while in Cambodia it’s a mere 1 per cent. Our exports, which include handkerchiefs, eyeglass cleaning cloths, and krama, are valued for their softness and durability, on par with silk and cotton”.

Tea Kim Soth, Director of the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said that the process of extracting fibers from lotus stems and processing them into fabric is a well-established practice. He noted that the older the lotus stem, the less fibrous it is, while the younger stem is more fibrous.

“However, if we collect the stems from too young, it will lose its leaves, flowers, and fruit. This is something to consider, but we must strike a balance. This means that we harvest the stems after harvesting the flowers and fruit,” he added.