A temporary ban on the importation of processed pork and frozen offal, which had been in effect for the past year, was officially lifted yesterday. 

A March 12 notification from the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE) informed the public that, in accordance with a March 11 letter from the Ministry of Commerce, the temporary ban has been lifted.

The temporary ban on the importation of processed pork and frozen offal was initially imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the commerce ministry on March 12, 2024.

The maximum legal length of emergency import ban is six months, and this was extended on September 12^th last year.

At the time of the ban, the ministries explained that the ban was imposed to protect domestic animal husbandry.

Srun Pov, president of the Cambodian Livestock Association, spoke to The Post at the time.

He explained that importing of illegal and unregulated frozen pork products had caused significant damage to the Kingdom’s domestic livestock industry. 

Pov believed the temporary ban would support domestic production and protect public health.

“Besides improving the prices of domestic products, it also reduced the health risks to consumers, as most frozen meat products were imported without the correct legal documentation or quality control,” he said.