Cambodia hopes to start exporting longan to neighbor Thailand in the near future, with the two countries planning to sign an agreement on phytosanitary requirements. The longan is poised to become the second agricultural product officially exported to Thailand, following the mango.

Ly Sereivuth, chief of the plant quarantine office at the General Directorate of Agriculture, said Friday that work on phytosanitary technical documents is being conducted: “We are now preparing the technical documents to meet phytosanitary requirements in the Thai market, and we expect to complete this work soon,” Mr Sereivuth said during a workshop on phytosanitary procedures for export, import, and the transit of agriculture goods.

“At the present stage, we are conducting laboratory tests to identify pests that affect the crop. once this work is completed, we will send our results to Thai authorities to be reviewed,” he said, adding that after the review, Thai experts will visit Cambodian farms to conduct inspections.

once inspections conclude, the two parties will sign a protocol on phytosanitary requirements, paving the way for the first shipment of Cambodian longan to Thailand, according to Mr Sereivuth.

The General Department of Agriculture claims that longan plantations are found all across the country, covering 8,816 hectares. In 2018, yields amounted to 19,218 tonnes. Battambang, Pailin, and Kampot are the biggest producers with yearly yields of 7,776, 7,735, and 1,496 tonnes, respectively.

It is quoted Un Theng, representative of an agricultural community in Pailin province, as saying that the fruit is grown across the province, with annual yields of 7,000 tonnes.