(Phnom Penh): The Australian Embassy and Kirirom Food Production (KFP) Co., Ltd. celebrated a new trade partnership milestone, with the export of Cambodian dried mangoes to Australia.
This is the first shipment under a long-term trade agreement (2024–2030) between KFP and a major Australia-based wholesale distributor, paving the way for the supply of Cambodian dried mangoes to leading retailers across Australia.
Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia, Derek Yip said, ‘This export partnership is evidence of the growing strength of cooperation between Australia and Cambodia. It also shows how targeted support and private sector partnerships can open up new markets and improve the competitiveness of Cambodia’s agri-food sector. This export of Cambodian dried mangoes to aligns closely with Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, which aims to deepen economic cooperation between Australia and Southeast Asia.’
KFP Managing Director Ms Dalis Chhorn said, ‘We are delighted to take Cambodian mangoes to Australian consumers. Our partnership with Australia not only benefits our 1,700 plus employees – 60 per cent of whom are women – but also increase smallholder farmer income and enhances Cambodia’s reputation for quality produce.’
The deal was made possible through support from Australia through the Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED) program, which helped KFP to boost its export readiness and increase business linkages with Australia.
This success coincides with the installation of Cambodia’s first mango purée production line at KFP, enabled through technical support from Australia. The new machinery allows the innovative transformation of mango waste into valuable product. It will allow KFP to buy mangoes regardless of size from farmers to process into puree and juice, serving both local and international markets.
Australia continues to help Cambodian enterprises to expand their export potential. In 2024, bilateral trade between Cambodia and Australia reached USD1.1 billion, with more than 70 per cent of this trade made up of Cambodian exports to Australia.
This 20-tonne shipment follows recent exports of dried fruits and processed cashews by Royal Trust Trading and milled rice by Amru Rice. Australia remains committed to supporting inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic growth in Cambodia and helping its agricultural producers to process more agrifoods domestically for export to high value global markets.
=FRESH NEWS
