AKP Phnom Penh, March 07, 2025 --

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, H.E. Dith Tina, has instructed technical experts to conduct thorough assessments of soil quality to determine the most suitable rice varieties for cultivation.

The minister issued this directive while meeting with local farmers in Pursat province on Mar. 6 afternoon.

The event was part of a campaign promoting modern agricultural communities.

During the gathering, H.E. Dith Tina and other ministry officials engaged with more than 200 farming households from five villages in Kanchar commune, Kandieng district as these farmers are seeking to establish a modern agricultural cooperative focused on rice production.

The minister highlighted the benefits of joining a modern agricultural community, such as reducing production costs, accessing financial and technical support, and securing pre-arranged market prices.

Sok Chea, a local rice farmer from Kanchar commune, shared that while this year’s cultivation of the OM5451 rice variety did not result in losses, profits were lower than in previous years.

This has motivated local farmers to form a cooperative to strengthen their market position.

In response, H.E. Dith Tina instructed ministry experts to conduct precise soil quality assessments to identify the most appropriate rice varieties for the area’s environmental conditions.

He also urged the consolidation of approximately 1,000 hectares of farmland in preparation for establishing a modern agricultural cooperative, ensuring economic sustainability for local farmers.

By K. Rithy Reak