Palm sugar: Confirel commits to the entire Kampong Speu value chain

With financial support from Khmer Enterprise, Confirel is launching a programme to make harvesting safer, processing more reliable and international markets more accessible for palm sugar producers in Kampong Speu.

Climbing to the top of a sugar palm every day to collect its sap: in Cambodia, this age-old task remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the countryside. It is also the starting point of the new Palm Sugar Value Chain Enhancement Programme launched by Confirel in Kampong Speu province. Funded by Khmer Enterprise (KE) and carried out in partnership with the Kampong Speu Palm Sugar Promotion Association, the initiative aims to support the sector from tree to market.

A heritage worth protecting

The sugar palm, known to Cambodians as “thnot” (Borassus flabellifer), is part of the landscape and daily life of the Khmer countryside. It provides a significant share of the income of many rural families. Kampong Speu's sandy soils and low rainfall, combined with the producers' know-how, give its sugar a concentrated, aromatic flavour that earned “Skor Thnot Kampong Speu” its place, alongside Kampot pepper, as one of the Kingdom's first two protected geographical indications.

Yet this prestige does not erase the sector's weaknesses: the risk of accidents when climbing the trees, uneven processing quality, hygiene practices that still fall short, and limited access to premium markets.

Five levers for action

The programme sets out to deliver practical solutions at every link in the chain: Climbers' safety, through climbing equipment designed with the tappers themselves and tested in the field; Consistent processing, with standard operating procedures and practical handbooks written in Khmer; Training for producers and processors in hygiene, safe harvesting, processing, packaging and storage; Support for small and medium-sized enterprises and processors to improve the quality of their products and prepare for export; Market linkages between Cambodian producers and international buyers, through trade fairs and other commercial opportunities.

One hundred tappers on the front line

The programme will directly support 100 sap tappers, 20 processors and two to three SMEs. The goal is to lay the foundations for a safer, more competitive and more market-oriented sector.

For Confirel, which has built its growth on adding value to palm sugar and other Cambodian local products, the initiative extends a long-standing commitment to rural communities. The company believes the sugar palm must be protected to guarantee a decent life for the people who depend on it.

Khmer Enterprise's support, as a fund set up by the Royal Government to foster entrepreneurship and SMEs, confirms the place of palm sugar in the country's development strategy.

From safer harvesting to high-quality products, the aim is to build, together, a stronger and more sustainable palm sugar sector in Cambodia.