Phnom penh: H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation, has emphasised innovation and standards in strengthening Cambodia's rice industry at the closing ceremony of the 4th General Assembly of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), held here yesterday.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Minister congratulated the newly elected leadership of the Federation's 5th mandate - Oknha Lay Chhunhour as President of CRF, and Oknha Chan Sokheang as Chairman of the Board of Directors - and welcomed the launch of the Cambodian Rice Export Market Expansion and Diversification Strategy 2025-2030.
The Minister stated that the ability to produce rice, mill it, and process it into value-added products using new technologies and innovations, along with the competitive advantages and international reputation of Cambodian rice, is a symbol of pride for this important sector of the national economy.
He highlighted the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MISTI)'s contribution to the sector, which includes promoting safety in production, improving productivity through modern machinery, and providing the national quality infrastructure to support rice millers and SMEs.
H.E. Minister has called on relevant technical committees of the National Council of Standards and the private sector to participate in developing more Cambodia standards for rice products and other product lines of rice.
According to MISTI, its recent reform initiatives, including the transformation of the Science, Technology, and Innovation National Laboratory into a public administration institution with international testing capacity, and the inauguration of the Cambodia-Korea Food Processing TASK Centre earlier this month, are designed to enhance competitiveness and strengthen Cambodian exports, including rice.
H.E. Hem Vanndy added that the Ministry has oriented and identified food technology as a priority for the National Institute of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and is promoting partnerships and cooperation with the private sector, higher education and research institutions, and the public sector to strengthen the agro-industrial, food, and beverage sectors, while enhancing Cambodia's food sovereignty and food security.