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Hey guys and dolls

Would there be interest for a sales agent for Cambodian farmers and factories to sell their products in Europe, like my countries Belgium and the Netherlands? Or act as agent for European companies to import from Cambodia?

Last year a friend of mine was interested in importing some agricultral products from Cambodia, but he had no clue how to arrange this. It can be difficult without a western oriented, english speaking representative on the ground in Cambodia.
I have quite some experience in import and export, but don't want to start a big business anymore or trade on my expenses. I like to partly retire and do some nice projects. This seems something I would like to do. I speak English, German, French and Dutch.
I am starting a project too in Siem Reap but later I would like to live in SHV, And there I could be usefull as agent/consultant in import and export. I don't want to trade anymore by myself. What are your thoughts and ideas about this?

how can you compete with established parties?
this kind of business already is mostly based on patronage and affiliation with bureaucrats.

Don't want to compete, want to advise and follow up. As a Dutch/European company, I don't trust Cambodian agencies and communication with them is very difficult I know from own experience. A Dutch or other Eurpean company could just ask me to go over to the harbour, check papers and goods, or pay the corrupt harbour guy a few bucks. It would be much easier to communicate with me than with a khmer by tepephone or email.

I tried to arrange an import last year, and it was hell. Communication was so bad, you would not believe. In the end I had to buy dried fruits, I could not check, had to pay upfront without seeing anything and just hope the goods would arrive in Rotterdam. That was a too big of a risk for me at that time. I cancelled the import. When I would have had a trustworthy guy in SHV whom I could talk to I would have done the import.

james1234 wrote: Don't want to compete, want to advise and follow up. As a Dutch/European company, I don't trust Cambodian agencies and communication with them is very difficult I know from own experience. A Dutch or other Eurpean company could just ask me to go over to the harbour, check papers and goods, or pay the corrupt harbour guy a few bucks. It would be much easier to communicate with me than with a khmer by tepephone or email.

I tried to arrange an import last year, and it was hell. Communication was so bad, you would not believe. In the end I had to buy dried fruits, I could not check, had to pay upfront without seeing anything and just hope the goods would arrive in Rotterdam. That was a too big of a risk for me at that time. I cancelled the import. When I would have had a trustworthy guy in SHV whom I could talk to I would have done the import.

frank lee bent wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2017 5:42 pm how can you compete with established parties?
this kind of business already is mostly based on patronage and affiliation with bureaucrats.

Yep,, best to give up now before you even start. Try giving all that money you would lose , , to a bargirl and both you and her will be happy.

Yep,, best to give up now before you even start. Try giving all that money you would lose , , to a bargirl and both you and her will be happy.

Didn't you read the post? Or do you not have a clue how it works? What money does a consultant or agent invest? Tell me, may be you can teach me.

james1234 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:58 pm

Yep,, best to give up now before you even start. Try giving all that money you would lose , , to a bargirl and both you and her will be happy.

Didn't you read the post? Or do you not have a clue how it works? What money does a consultant or agent invest? Tell me, may be you can teach me.

I've been here 14 years now, and with a lot of $$$$$ invested here,,,,, My advice still stands.

Had a friend here working for a major company in Europe buying and importing rice! Very very difficult. Like other posters are advising.