Kampong Speu palm sugar to enter Chinese market

Kampong Speu palm sugar, recognized as a Geographical Indication by the European Union, is expected to reach the Chinese market next year, the Khmer Times reported.

About 20 tons of sugar, or 30 percent of total exports, are expected to be shipped to China next year, according to the Kampong Speu Palm Sugar Promotion Association (KSPA), the newspaper quoted. “We have sent sugar samples to China and a Chinese company has unofficially ordered about 20 tons of sugar from the association for export next year,” said a member of the association.

The association, through partner companies, has exported 76 tons of palm sugar paste and 2.3 tons of sugar powder this year. The main export market for this product is the European Union, followed by the United States, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.

The comprehensive strategic partnership cooperation between Cambodia and China has contributed significantly to the development of the agricultural sector in Cambodia, Dith Tina, minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries told the Khmer Times.

Prices of palm sugar sold by the association’s members range from $1.25 to $1.75 per kg. Palm sugar from Kampong Speu province was registered as an EU protected product in 2019 under the name “Skor Thnot Kampong Speu”. It became the second Cambodian GI product after “Kampot pepper” was registered by EU in February 2016.