The Cambodian Agriculture Ministry is pushing for more longan cultivation in Pailin, the province that harvested more than 43,000 tons of the fruit last year. Say Sophat, provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries director told local media that the cultivation area of longans in Pailin grew from 3,201 ha in 2017 to 3,360 ha last year, with the yield increasing from 29,782 tons to 43,680 tons in the same period.
Sophat said Pailin’s longan is a geographically significant cash crop that plays an important role in boosting the province’s economy. He added that the Department of Agriculture will continue to pay attention to promote the cultivation of Pailin longans to have higher potential with appropriate techniques to distribute to the domestic market and export abroad according to recognized hygiene standards.
He also added that the agricultural sector in Pailin province has so far grown significantly compared to five years ago. In 2017, there were only more than 56,000 hectares of cultivated land, while by last year the total cultivated land in Pailin province is more than 77,000 hectares and the yield has also increased.
