PHNOM PENH: Dried Cambodian longan is set to appear on Chinese menus in the near future, thanks to a new export agreement between the two nations.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) have signed a protocol on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for the export of dried longan from Cambodia to the Chinese market.
The agreement was signed during a June 3 bilateral meeting between agriculture minister Dith Tina and Chinese customs minister Sun Meijun.
During the meeting, the two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in plant and animal quarantine, as well as the import and export of other safe food products.
Tina praised the growing agricultural trade cooperation between Cambodia and China, noting that it continues to produce tangible results.
The SPS protocol is regarded as a key market-access mechanism between the two countries. It establishes requirements to ensure that exported agricultural products are free from pathogens, chemical contaminants, invasive pests and infectious diseases that could threaten the health of people, animals or crops.
Without an SPS protocol, agricultural products cannot be officially exported, even if buyers are already waiting to purchase them.
“Importing countries require the signing of an SPS protocol for each agricultural product before it can officially enter their market,” explained the ministry.
It described the signing of the protocol and the accompanying MoU as reflecting the continued commitment of both nations to strengthen and expand agricultural trade cooperation. They aim to increase bilateral agricultural trade volumes by promoting the export of more Cambodian agricultural products to China while ensuring quality standards and sanitary compliance.
The ministry said these agreements are expected to deliver mutual benefits to both countries by creating new opportunities for Cambodian producers and exporters while supporting safe and sustainable agricultural trade between Cambodia and China. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
