Monthly Archives: December 2010

Cambodia exported 26 percent more in the first 10 months of 2010 than in the same period in 2009, and 4.7 percent more than in the same period in 2008, according to Commerce Ministry figures released yesterday. The statistics show that total exports through October this year reached $2.8 billion, with garments making up about 88.5 percent of those exports and shoes 4.6 percent, according to the statistics. From January to November 2009, during the recession, the country only exported $2.2 billion. In 2008, during the same period, exports reached $2.6 billion. “It is because of the economy recovery, the world economic recovery–this is the main round for export rise,” said Mean Sophea, director of the general system of preferences department. He noted that garment exports are still behind 2008 number. In fact, according to the statistics, garments are still behind 2008 levels by about 1 percent. He said efforts to diversify exports have been successful and accounted for much of the increase since 2008.

Goods traded at Sihanouk Ville Autonomous Port this year increase 17 percent in the first 11 month to about 2 million tons, compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by port officials yesterday. Lou Kimchhun, director of the port, said the increase came predominantly from processed wood and agricultural products and indicated that the economy is on the mend.

“The important thing is that our economy is seeing recovery,” he said “We have a good port, but a lack of economic activity to fuel traffic there would render it use less,” Last year, cargo transported at the port amounted to only 1.7 million tons. Mr Kimchhun said that the government’s rice policy is aiming to export about 1 million tons of milled rice by 2015, and would bolster export trade with China. “The number of tons of rice exported will continue to increa”,” he said. “We have strengthened the quality of service at the port.”