The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is elated to see Cambodian longan fruits being marketed on the world-class online store Alibaba. The ministry saw the sales as a positive initiative, and said it would work with longan growers to improve their quality.
Pailin longans of Cambodia were launched on Alibaba’s online market on December 12 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Neang Samrithkomar, consul-general in Shanghai, China told local media on December 21.
Agriculture ministry spokeswoman Im Rachna said the ministry was pleased at the new development.
“This is an important part of promoting and boosting the market for Cambodian longan products so they gain more momentum in Chinese and international markets,” she added.
When asked whether the online sales could increase the price of longans, she said price rises were invariably linked to market demand. When demand grows, prices go up.
She said the ministry will continue to work closely with farmers and wholesalers to ensure the quality of the local fruit. It would also advise them about the requirements that are stipulated in export protocols.
“Our specialists have been monitoring pollutants in the plantations. They have advised owners on agricultural best practices and on the safe, effective use of pesticides,” she added.
“We encourage plantation registration as a good agricultural practice, and urge all plantations and packing plants to register for exports to China,” she also said.
To date, 74 longan plantations and eight longan packing plants have been registered and recognised by the ministry’s General Department of Agriculture and the General Administration of Customs of China.
As of December 21, 2,596.17 tonnes of fresh Cambodian longans were exported to the Chinese market. In 2023, the ministry expected between 7,000 and 8,000 tonnes to be exported there.
