Among other things, the agreement will support the expansion of processing and export of Cambodian cashew nuts to international markets. The Council for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) of Cambodia and the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC) yesterday signed a Record of Discussions on the project for ‘Agricultural Value Chain Improvement through Cashew Processing and Export in Cambodia’. The Record of Discussions was signed by Ouk Rabun, Senior Minister and Chairman of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, and Choi Chan Won, Director of the KRC’s Global Project for International Agricultural and Food Development Cooperation, in Phnom Penh. The project is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development of the Republic of Korea, which provides technical and financial assistance and strengthens cooperation between the two countries. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Rabun said that cashew is a priority crop that the Cambodian Government has focused on and emphasised increasing productivity and exports to strengthen competitiveness and diversify the national economy. “This project will contribute to the implementation of the National Strategic Development Plan and the Cambodia Agriculture Sector Strategic Development Plan, and aims to support the expansion of processing and export of Cambodian cashew nuts to international markets,” he said. It will help increase income for smallholder farmers and create job opportunities for citizens, contributing to rural economic development through the promotion of modern processing technology, strengthening post-harvest management capacity, strengthening the capacity of modern agricultural communities in Kampong Thom province, and strengthening cashew quality standards and expanding the export market for all cashews, Rabun said. This is also in line with the Royal Government’s objective of making the country the world’s biggest cashew producer, he added. Choi Chan Won reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to work closely with the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development and all stakeholders in Cambodia to ensure the successful implementation of this project. The signing ceremony clearly demonstrated the long-term friendship and strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Republic of Korea, especially in the fields of agriculture and rural development, he said. Both sides expressed strong belief that this project will enhance the cashew value chain, ensuring resilience, high competitiveness, and inclusivity for the benefit of the people and sustainable national economic development. As of 2025, Cambodia is the world’s second-largest producer of raw cashew nuts. The country is able to produce tens of thousands of tonnes of cashew nuts, but domestic processing is still limited, meaning the country depends on exporting raw cashew nuts abroad.