• […] I declared at Put Sar commune, where I talked about state intervention in digging main canals for rice fields […] that “harvesting rice in watered rice field is better than having none to harvest.” The theory is still applicable […]

• I thank Australia, […] who, started with the Labor Party winning elections, declared it no longer recognized the Khmer Rouge at the United Nations […], while NGOs from Australia came into Cambodia […] and contributed in field of agriculture […]

• […] Minister of Agriculture, HE Veng Sakhon, just whispered to me that “in the first six months of this year, we already exported over one million tons of paddy rice from Kompot, Takeo, Kandal, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng provinces that are sharing border with Vietnam” […]

• […] the speed of rice production has far exceeded investments in processing and export. As far as export is concerned, we must ensure that rice are dry […]

• […] we have potentials that are already in display and that are going to present themselves in the time to come as I was hinting in 1985 […] at the province of Preah Sihanouk about transferring our development from extensive to intensive ways or to increase feeding capability of existing land areas […]

• […] people could cancel their trips, their purchases of new clothes, or cars or motorbikes, but they could not stop eating. Hence, […] we must turn this crisis into opportunity for Cambodia to expand market for export of food items […] not only rice but also cassava flour, mangos, bananas, etc. […]

Samdech Techo HUN SEN ,
a Visit to Prey Kabas district of Takeo province to learn about the country’s
agricultural progress and a get-together with local farmers, 21 July 2020.

• […] there have been press articles […] raising concerns about disruption of food supply chain in Asia because of restrictions on the parts of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, and even Russian wheat. Cambodia wishes to reaffirm that it will continue to participate in regional food supply chain since it would have every year a surplus of about six million metric tons of paddy or about four million metric tons of rice […]

• [...] Cambodia still has great potential since it has about four million hectares of land for cultivation –for rice and other crops. We can grow […] it is our expectation that export of rice, cashew and other foodstuffs would grow […] we are working to move quickly to transform Covid-19 crisis into opportunity in agriculture […]

• [...] We have a demand of 290,000 tons of meat per annum […] we have been able to provide only 239,000 tons or 82% of what we needed […] we have had to promote animal husbandry in the country […] do not import meat from other countries that would impede local animal husbandry […]

• [...] in the 1980s, only 7% of our cultivation land were under irrigation. As of now, we have increased the area by 62%. By building waterways and irrigation such as canals, etc. we have created favorable condition for more fish population […]

• [...] I have instructing in writing to (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance) HE Aun Pornmoniroth to reserve budget for internal missions […] such as seminars and training programs in the country and to continue to allow no missions abroad […]

• [...] Covid-19 cannot take away lives of the Cambodian people. It may cause destruction but it may not starve Cambodians since its economy does not solely depend on service sector […] or industry alone. The economic pulse for people to go on living is to have rice and fish […]

• [...] This year we did not take the three days Khmer New Year holiday (in April) when Covid-19 was in its spread. It is now time for the Royal Government to let our people have their made-up holiday […] the Royal Government promised the Cambodians a five-day holiday in return […] I approved the other day the holiday to take place from 17 through to 21 August […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
a Visit to the Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Development
Centre in Peam Ro district, Prey Veng province, 14 July 2020.

[…] in order to ensure transparency and integrity in the provision of this cash transfer program (for poor and vulnerable households during Covid-19), I strongly urge local authorities at all levels, especially those at every commune, to focus on doing the job properly and consistently, and avoiding absolute collusion with their relatives whose families are not really poor and vulnerable […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Facebook Page, 30 June 2020.