• Society

Longan Prices Rise as Output Tumbles

• By Chhum Chantha
• November 7, 2023 4:00 PM

PHNOM PENH — Prices of Pailin longans have gone up this year and will rise even more next year as yields decline due to drought and lack of irrigation. 

The set price for July to December for exports to China is 3,600 riel or $0.9 per kilo, up from 3,300 riel or $0.8 in the same period last year. 

From January to February next year, the price will be 4,000 riel or $1 per kilo while from March it will be 4,500 riel or $1.12.

Sar Chamroeun, a representative from the Pailin Longan Community Council, said drought had damaged some crops as some plantations had no access to irrigation, causing plant hormone treatment to fail.

“The dry season this year was longer while we also lacked water,” he said.

Despite this, farmers were happy to harvest their produce as China would take a a reasonable amount at high prices.

Chamroeun said he was more concerned about longan meeting the quality requirements of Chinese importers.

“The price will not go down, I think,” he said. “Our farmers just have to improve the quality of their product as Cambodia and China already have an agreement.”

Phem Vary, a farmer in Battambang, said the price is higher as he could sell from 4,000-5,000 riel ($1-$1.25) per kilogram while last year he could sell only for 3,000 riel or $0.75 per kilogram.

Many Pailin longans are supplied directly to the Chinese market with others sold domestically. The Chinese acquisition gives Cambodian farmers a lot of confidence in ensuring good prices and a wide market.

“We are happy, and we are motivated to do more,” said Vary. “In the past, the price always dropped but now I could say it is stable.”

From October 2022 to October 2023, the export of fresh Cambodian longan to China totaled 14,345 tonnes. Cambodian enterprises are also processing fresh longan for local supermarkets.

 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Nhor Sokhoeurn for Cambodianess.