Pailin longan exports to China surge in 2023
CAMBODIA exported 17,000 tonnes of fresh Pailin longans to the Chinese market in 2023, marking a 454% increase compared to 2022, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Suos Siyat, president of the Pailin Longan Agricultural Production Cooperative, stated on January 8 that despite the increase in the country’s longan exports, the output was not significantly high.
He attributed this to unfavourable weather conditions such as salty or acidic dew, which adversely affected the product’s quality.
Siyat said water shortages were also a concern in some cultivation areas.
“It was not a universal issue, but some areas did face water source problems. When our product’s quality dropped, so did the prices, as brokers adjusted them based on the fruit’s appearance. The water shortage and dew conditions hindered the longans’ growth,” he explained.
He said that the price of the produce fluctuates based on its quality and harvesting period.
Despite having a market in China, he added that the cultivation of the fruit has not seen significant expansion.
“Regarding prices, they vary according to the company’s contract, which operates factories in Pailin province. For instance, from August to December, farmers receive 3,300 to 3,500 riel ($0.80-$0.85) per kg, and from January to March, the price rises to 4,000 riel ($0.98) per kg. This fluctuation is due to the fruit’s quality,” he added.
Siyat also mentioned that Pailin currently boasts nearly 4,000ha of cultivated and harvested land for the fruit.
Chhim Vachira, director of the Battambang provincial agriculture department, said the province has a larger cultivation area in comparison, approximately 7,000ha, with over 5,000ha of harvested land.
He highlighted that harvests depend on the growers, as the fruit does not have a fixed season like other crops. Farmers can decide the time by using agricultural fertilisers to induce fruiting in August or September.
“The weather has significantly impacted Pailin longan trees in both Pailin and
Banteay Meanchey provinces. In 2023, Battambang harvested over 43,000 tonnes of fresh longan from more than 4,600ha. However, estimating this year’s data is challenging due to irregular weather patterns,” he said.
Sar Chamroeun, a representative of China Jinkwoayuan Import Export (Cambodia) Co Ltd, which buys the fruit for export to China, confirmed that exports have been smooth. From July onwards, the company shipped over 1,000 tonnes.
However, he noted that purchases had decreased in recent months due to declining product quality, making procurement challenging.
“Our company’s buying capacity is unlimited. We buy more when farmers or our plantation owners have a high yield, but it must be of good quality,” he said.
The agriculture ministry reported that the current cultivation of Pailin longans spans over 13,608ha nationwide, primarily in Battambang, Pailin and Banteay Meanchey provinces.
The harvested land covers about 8,000ha, with each yielding between 15 and 20 tonnes annually.