Ministry of Agriculture and Japan’s Inoue Calcium Corporation Partner to Boost Cashew Processing and Value Addition

• Proeksa Meas
• 30 September 2026
• Local News
• 99 Views

Secretary of State Sor Chetra holds bilateral talks on Japanese plan to purchase up to 3,000 tons of raw cashews annually, alongside new academic exchange programs for agricultural students

Phnom Penh: Attracting targeted foreign direct investment and expanding domestic agro-processing capacity remain central to Cambodia’s strategy for capturing higher value in agricultural supply chains and improving rural farming incomes. On September 9, 2026, HE Sor Chetra, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, met with a high-level executive delegation from Japan’s Inoue Calcium Corporation at the ministry headquarters. During the discussion, HE Sor Chetra highlighted that the Japanese delegation will assist in mobilizing international investors to expand operations in Cambodia’s agricultural sector, particularly in cashew processing to help farmers command premium market prices.

In response, the Japanese delegation expressed gratitude to the ministry for facilitating the regulatory registration of two agricultural input products. Outlining their commercial expansion, representatives revealed a joint venture with a local partner in Siem Bouk district, Stung Treng province. Under this investment, the company plans to purchase between 2,000 and 3,000 metric tons of raw Cambodian cashew nuts annually for processing to Japanese quality standards, targeting direct export to Japan at purchase prices higher than those historically offered by neighboring trade routes.

Beyond direct commercial purchasing, the initiative incorporates significant human resource development components for Cambodia’s agricultural technology sector. The Japanese delegation outlined plans to sponsor study visits to Japan for Cambodian agriculture students to facilitate technical knowledge sharing. Additionally, Japan’s Kochi University of Technology is preparing a memorandum of understanding with the Royal University of Agriculture, while exploring future institutional collaboration with the Cambodian Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

The expanding partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Inoue Calcium Corporation represents a meaningful step toward positioning Cambodia as an exporter of high-value processed agricultural goods. Combining premium-priced crop purchasing with local processing capacity and academic exchange programs directly strengthens local farming communities in Stung Treng while accelerating the long-term modernization and international competitiveness of the nation’s agro-industrial ecosystem. (read more)

• cashew
• MAFF
• Agriculture