Now that the South Korean authorities gave the nod, exports of Cambodian mangoes to South Korea will begin this week. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ Department of Plant Protection, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Requirements director Ker Monthivuth said on Sunday that after several inspections of local mango farms, Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency greenlighted the shipments.
The first shipment of Cambodian mangoes to the East Asian market will be carried out by Hyundai Mao Legacy Co Ltd on Wednesday, Monthivuth said. “Initially, the volume of mango exported will probably be less than 10 tonnes. This can be transported by aeroplane. When the market is bigger, the company will probably start shipping by sea.”
Cambodia can also export mangoes to Vietnam and Thailand, with which it has signed the necessary agreements, Monthivuth noted. He said Cambodia has more than 100,000ha dedicated to growing mango, with a total yield estimated at more than four million tonnes per year.
Hyundai Mao Legacy is a joint venture between South Korea’s giant Hyundai Corporation and local company Mao Legacy. The company was formed in 2016 and grows mangoes on 2,400ha in Kampong Speu province.
Angkor Mango and Export general manager Vann Rithy said the supply of mango now outstrips demand, noting that it is great news that new markets are opening up. “Because there are not many markets, the price of mango this year has not increased,” he said.
According to phnompenhpost.com, Cambodia exported 58,162 tonnes of fresh mango to six markets – Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, France, Russia and Hong Kong.
