Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – The Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recently reached a cooperation agreement to deepen cooperation in the agricultural sector and accelerate the development of cross-border agricultural trade.
On Monday, the two sides officially signed the cooperation agreement in Vientiane and simultaneously launched a new route for Cambodian agricultural products to be exported to China via Laos, marking a significant step forward in regional supply chain and trade integration. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Limkham Doongsavanh, Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Laos, and Dr. Thit Thina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuously expanding cooperation within the framework of the 2023-2027 Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation. The ministers emphasized the need to create a more favorable environment for private sector participation, investment, and agricultural trade.
Promoting inter-enterprise cooperation was one of the core topics of the meeting. Both sides stressed the need to strengthen direct exchanges between Lao and Cambodian enterprises to open up new opportunities for investment in agricultural production, processing, logistics, and value chain development. One of the most important outcomes of the meeting was the decision to allow Cambodian agricultural products to be exported to China via Laos.
The first batch of agricultural products from Cambodia planned to be exported to China via Laos includes six types: durian, bananas, rice, mangoes, longan, and cassava. The departure ceremony for the first shipment will be held at the Tha Narang land port, symbolizing a new stage in regional trade connectivity and economic cooperation.
Meanwhile, Laos also plans to export six agricultural products to Cambodia: coffee, cabbage, tamarind, glutinous rice, blueberries, and pumpkin.
Both sides also reviewed progress in cooperation in areas such as agricultural cooperatives, commercial rice production, fisheries, forestry management, wildlife conservation, and climate-related initiatives, particularly regarding compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). (End)
