To encourage farmers to increase agricultural production, Electricite du Cambodge (EdC) has cut the price of electricity used for irrigation at night to 480 riel (12 US cents) per kWh.

This follows a July 15 call by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries requesting the EdC to cut the price of electricity for farmers.

The reduced price will be in effect daily from 9pm to 7am and is only valid for farmers using power to pump water for agricultural purposes.

NGO Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC) director Theng Savoeun said: “We are happy with the EdC’s electricity price reduction plan.”

Savoeun said many Cambodian farmers do not depend on rain to plan their harvests as they did in the past. Some farmers use as much as 60 per cent of their rice fields to grow crops and vegetables with new high-tech water systems and ploughing machines instead of cattle.

“I call on the government to encourage the relevant ministries to increase the use of irrigation systems to provide water support to farmers as well as reduce petrol prices,” he said.

Ministry spokesman Srey Vuthy confirmed that the plan’s goal is to encourage farmers to increase production.

“We do not have specific data on the numbers of farmers who will use this electricity plan. The ministry is encouraging its experts to collaborate with the mines and energy departments throughout the country to promote the plan to farmers,” he said.