Planting machinery goes on trial in Kampong Cham
Van Socheata | Publication date 04 October 2023 | 21:16 ICT

The ministry will hand over rice planting machines to a farmer community in Kampong Cham province’s Cheung Prey district on September 26. Kc Agriculture Department

Yang Saing Koma, secretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, announced on October 3 that the ministry will supply rice transplanters to an agricultural community in Kampong Cham province’s Cheung Prey district next week. He said the trial aims to test its efficiency before the ministry promotes its use nationwide.

He noted that the cooperative has previously been used as a model for the implementation of new agricultural policies and strategies, such as the deployment of agricultural specialists. The deployment was a success, he added.

“With the support of the ministry, we will hand over the machines to the community in Cheung Prey as a tentative step, so we can be certain that the equipment can plant rice effectively. We are giving support to the farmers so they can improve the efficiency of rice production, and these machines are an important contribution,” he said.

“The support of the ministry does not mean we will gift these machines to the farmers, but once we are sure they will improve productivity, we will encourage farmer to purchase the machines. Perhaps investors might buy them and rent them for a profit,” he suggested.

Saing Koma explained that the ministry encouraged the community to use the equipment because although the transplanters are expensive and the average farmer cannot afford to buy them outright, the budget of a farming community would be enough to purchase them, which could then be used collectively.

“These machines are helpful in reducing the use of labour, and are economical in terms of fuel consumption. We want to help boost rice production in order to increase Cambodia’s milled rice exports to international markets,” he said.

Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC), said the ministry was encouraging the use of machinery in order to modernise the farming sector and increase productivity, amid a shrinking workforce.
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