The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is continuing its efforts to support farmers by coordinating the purchase of their paddy rice by private companies at fair prices. The initiative also includes buying rice from military families in Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province.
According to the ministry, on Tuesday, ministry secretary of state Hean Vanhorn, chair of the Mekong Leu Regional Program Coordination Team, coordinated the purchase of paddy rice from military families in Choam Ksan by Chip Mong (Khmer Beverages), with officials from the Preah Vihear provincial agriculture department also participating.
Chip Mong purchased over 600 tonnes of paddy rice from military families in Choam Ksan, at a price of 1,000 riel per kilogramme, including varieties such as Phka Romduol and Neang Om. The company buys more than 110 tonnes per day, with from 450 to 600 tonnes purchased in the last four days.
During his visit, Vanhorn met with company representatives from Chip Mong and military families from Division 3.
He thanked Chip Mong for their contribution and discussed market conditions, rice collection and solutions for market congestion, in order to maintain stable market flow for farmers, with the provincial department acting as the ministry’s local representatives.
Additionally, through the effective coordination of commune agriculture officials and local authorities in Preah Vihear, wet Phka Romduol SRP paddy rice was also sold to Amru Rice.
Prices included C1 quality at 950 riel/kg, C2 quality at 920 riel/kg and C3 quality at 890 riel/kg.
Meanwhile, in Battambang province, on November 18, Vireak Buntham Company began purchasing the first of more than 30,000 tonnes of light Sro Nge paddy rice from a modern agricultural community under contract.
The ministry reported that about 2,000 farming families in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey provinces — members of six modern agricultural communities — have signed contract farming agreements with Vireak Buntham, arranged by the ministry. The contracts ensure farmers benefit from guaranteed fair pricing, financial support, technical training, and reduced costs for fertilisers and pesticides.
Four communities have already begun harvesting and selling the first batches of Sro Nge paddy to Vireak Buntham, totalling around 400 tonnes. They are receiving 950 riel/kg for C1 wet paddy, as stipulated in the contract.
From November 6 to 15, the ministry’s partner rice mills continued to purchase increased quantities — over 150,000 tonnes of paddy rice — from farmers across the country.
