Indian delegation visits Cambodia to bolster cashew trade and investment

A high-level Indian delegation, led by officials from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the All India Cashew Association (AIC), comprising Indian cashew industry entrepreneurs, visited Cambodia recently to strengthen cooperation in the cashew sector.

The delegation, led by Bola Rahul Kamath, president and M. Ramakrishnan, Secretary of AICA, held discussions with H.E. Touch Bun Hour, Secretary of State at Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries during the three-day visit from September 7 to 9.

According to Mr. Ramakrishnan, the meetings centred on exploring new avenues for trade, investment, and technology transfer to enhance Cambodia’s cashew value chain. Cambodia, as the world’s second-largest producer of raw cashew nuts, offers a vast and growing supply of high-quality produce while India, being one of the largest global importers and processors of raw cashews, presents a significant and expanding market.

The delegation saw first-hand the incredible potential of Cambodia’s cashew sector. The quality of Cambodian cashews, particularly premium varieties like M23, is highly sought after in the Indian market. The delegation also expressed strong interest in establishing a cashew processing factory in Kampong Thom province, a major cashew-processing region.

According to AICA, the delegation also participated in a business-to-business meet, connecting with members of the Cashew nut Association of Cambodia (CAC) and other local enterprises. The event fostered direct dialogue and explored logistical and operational solutions to facilitate smoother trade between the two nations.