Cambodia and Australia launched into the market, At the beginning of April, a new variety of fragrant rice resulting from their agricultural cooperation : the Champei Sar 70.
After nine years and 80 trials on the farm, the Champei Sar 70 (CPS 70) has arrived. This new rice is in fact the result of nearly a decade of collaboration between the Cambodian Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (CARDI) and the Australian government. CPS 70 was developed from an award-winning Cambodian rice variety, Phka Rumduol, and Cni9024. The 80 tests were carried out in the dry season and in the wet season. Nearly 90 farmers, including a third of women, participated in the varietal evaluation of promising lines. The line finally selected was submitted to the national varietal diffusion committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia. Thus was born the Champei Sar 70.
Non-seasonal rice
CPS 70 is a fragrant rice that matures after three months. It is a non-seasonal crop that is resistant to flooding and drought. Farmers can cultivate CPS 70 two or three times a year, allowing them to increase production while reducing the burden of storage costs and crop losses. “This variety of rice is very beneficial to farmers and traders. It can help farmers reduce their expenses and efforts to take care of their rice fields. Et, as it is not seasonal, traders can buy paddy all year round.”, congratulated Lor Bunna, director of CARDI.
Goal : export a million tonnes of rice
Contributing to almost a quarter of the country's GDP (2021), agriculture is one of the main pillars of the Cambodian economy. It employs more than a third of Cambodia’s workers, more than half of whom are women. Fragrant rice, which is experiencing strong global demand, represents 60% of total milled rice exports from Cambodia. The Cambodian Rice Federation has set itself the goal of exporting one million tonnes of milled rice by 2025. Australia has supported Cambodian agricultural development since the 1960s, when it sent its first agricultural experts to Cambodia. In September 2022, Australia launched a new development program, the Cambodia-Australia partnership for resilient economic development (CAPRED).
