Agri Food SMEs

The agriculture, food processing and retailing sectors are where the majority of Cambodian MSMEs are based. While the number of SMEs sourcing, producing and retailing agri-food products locally is increasing, most of them are still facing significant hurdles along the value chain, such as: accessing capital; lack of infrastructure and skilled workers; high cost of raw materials; challenges with marketing and achieving quality standards and lack of capacity to export.

70%
Employment in MSMEs

58%
Sale Value industry from MSMEs

33%
MSMEs are women-owned

WORKSHOPS/ EVENTS/TRAINING

On September 3, CPSA met with various Cambodian SMEs that produce, process, and retail local agri-food products. This is meant to be a first step towards creating a Working Group for networking, sharing of best practices, and capacity building.
A very productive event, where women and men jointly addressed common challenges that their business faces and expressed what topics are of utmost interest to them to be explored in the future.

On March 12, 2022, our team met with members of the Agri-Food SMEs Working Group (WG) and other development partners to discuss the future of this WG, and particularly its structure.
In fact, though public events already took place, the WG still needs to be formalized (with a Terms of Reference, elected Co-Chairs, clear strategy).

We also have the honor to have  Mr. Lyhay from នាយកដ្ឋានសហគ្រាសធុនតូច និងមធ្យម - Department of SME - MIH for joining the meeting and sharing valuable information with the group, and thanks as well to UNIDO and GIZ Cambodia for contributing with your inputs.

In the morning of September 10, 2020, the Cambodia Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (CPSA) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group on Food Production facilitated a workshop to develop the Strategic Plan of the Working Group 2020-2022 at Himawari Hotel. 

The workshop had a total of 16 participants (7 women representing 12 companies).

Participants were divided into four groups to discuss additional input on the draft objectives of the four strategic plans, which included:

1. Policies and persuasion to gain support

2. Promoting small and medium enterprises in the food production sector

3. Capacity building and outreach of small and medium enterprise teams in food production

4. Development of small and medium enterprises in the field of food production.

CPSA is delighted to announce that the Cambodia Food Manufacturer Association (CFMA) and Kirirom Food Production (KFP), were elected by members of the Agri-Food SME Working Group as the Chair and Co-Chair respectively this morning June 26, 2020, at Himawari Hotel.
Working and facilitating on the principle of volunteerism, CPSA hopes that Agri-Food SMEs will become an inclusive platform for networking and information exchange, provide training and advisory for SMEs, entrepreneurs, and farmers organizations in order to increase farmers’ profits and productivity while improving the environmental sustainability of their farms.

On 04th December 2019, CPSA Director has led some members of Agri-Food SMEs and Vegetable Working Group to meet with business delegation (Group) from Lao PDR led by Vientiane Governor and Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and AIDC President.
Our CPSA partners/members are from KNR, KOC, ASA, Signature of Asia, Confirel, Natural Agricultural Village (NAV), and REMIC and also some other tourism companies like VLK and World Pop and Canadia Bank (Lao-based), and BIC Bank (Cambodia-based).
Both parties have exchanged and shared their core business activities and business opportunities, especially, investment opportunities in Vientiane capital. Both parties are willing to collaborate and meet again.

In collaboration with Golden Bee, CPSA hosted an online workshop on Tax Obligations and Tax Incentives on December 8, 2020, with a total of 25 participants representing large enterprises. Small and medium food production.

CPSA would like to thank Mr. Nguon Sopheak, CEO of Golden Bee & Bean, for presenting with a focus on the 30 types of tax obligations and eligibility for tax incentives. We also appreciate our participants who asked questions and exchanged ideas exchanged experiences, which made the workshop a fruitful and enjoyable one.

This webinar was organized by the CPSA - Cambodia Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture and the Partnership for Indonesia Sustainable Agriculture PISAgro.

This webinar aims to:

1. Facilitate learning, knowledge sharing, and exchange of practical experience, particularly on partnership models with SMEs and smallholders in the agri-food sector.

2. Address priority issues and challenges in the supply chain for the agri-food sector.

3. Identify any potential market linkage between Cambodia and Indonesia.

On 27 November 2019, CPSA hosted a physical event "Khmer Agri-Food SMEs and the Retail Chain in Cambodia" at Hiwamari Hotel. 
Our team is humbled by the great feedback we have received so far. We truly hope that the event served as a platform for local SMEs and retailers to connect and start productive relationships (or to strengthen those already in place).
As we attendees have witnessed, there are plenty of Khmer SMEs producing high-quality and yummy agri-food products: our common vision is to see more of their products on local retailers' shelves and, ultimately, abroad.
Thanks once more to the 27 SMEs that joined us and displayed their products, to the 10 retailers who came along and were available to chat to potential suppliers, and, last but not least, to the amazing panelists who shared their stories.

RESEARCH/PUBLICATIONS

Sokunthea Hor

Owner of Kunthea Natural Rice

“ In my experience with the rice commodity, there are several factors contributing to low local consumption. One of the reasons is the high price due to the high cost and small scale of local production, leading to high production cost per unit. This can be seen in retail prices where imported products are still cheaper than local products, even after taxes and transportation costs. Local consumers are still price sensitive and prefer cheaper products, even when they are of lesser quality and have no traceability.”

Num Dima

Owner of Coffee Mondulkiri

“As a suggestion to retailers, they could plan regular meetings with SMEs (for e.g. every six months) to understand their challenges and areas of improvement. Retailers can also explore setting up a special day to promote domestic products or, provide a space in their shops exclusively for the promotion of local products.”

OUR CURRENT MEMBER

  • Kirirom Food Production Co., Ltd (KFP)
  • Coco Khmer International Pte., Ltd
  • ECO-Agri Co, Ltd.
  • Confirel Co., Ltd
  • Department of SMEs, MIH
  • Domnek Resort
  • Golden Palm Enterprises
  • Golden Yem Co., Ltd
  • HESED Agriculture Trading Co., Ltd
  • IBIS Rice Conservation Co., Ltd
  • Khmer Mekong Food Co., Ltd
  • Khmer Organic Cooperative Co., Ltd (KOC)
  • Kunthea Natural Rice (KNR)
  • L’irresistible
  • Lyly Food Industry Co., Ltd
  • Sela Pepper Co., Ltd
  • Signatures of Asia Co., Ltd (SOA)
  • Specialized Cambodia Produce Co., Ltd (SCP)
  • ICCO Cooperation
  • IFAD’s Agriculture Services Programme for Innovation, Resilience and Extension (ASPIRE)
  • Indochina Agriculture Processing Co., Ltd
  • Kandal Provincial Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries
  • Natural Agriculture Village (NAV)
  • Organic Vegetables Business Cluster Koh Tonlea
  • Organic Vegetables Business Cluster Krang Yov
  • Royal University of Agriculture
  • Safe Vegetables Business Group Svay Chour
  • Safe Vegetables Business Group Orumchek
  • SNV’s Cambodia Horticulture Advancing Income and Nutrition (CHAIN II) Project
  • USAID’s Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II Project (Harvest II)
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