The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has proposed that RMA (Cambodia) Plc process Cambodian cashew nuts for export to the European market as part of efforts to increase value-added production in the Kingdom. MAFF Undersecretary of State Ky Chandromdoul met representatives of RMA (Cambodia), led by Chief Executive Officer Ngorn Saing, at the ministry’s headquarters today, according to a MAFF press release. The meeting served as a courtesy call and working session to discuss agricultural processing and human resource development within the sector. Discussions focused on the company’s interest in processing Cambodian cashew nuts for export to Europe and producing canned fish. According to the press release, the initiatives aim to utilise locally sourced raw materials, strengthen processing capacity, increase value-added production and improve farmers’ incomes. Supporting the proposed cashew-processing venture, Chandromdoul encouraged the company to maximise the value of the crop by marketing cashew products while processing the shells into oil to generate additional revenue, create jobs and improve local livelihoods. He also encouraged RMA (Cambodia) to collaborate with the three agricultural universities and the MAFF’s Department of Agricultural Engineering. The press release said the partnership would focus on training Cambodian students and strengthening the capacity of technical officials in agricultural machinery. Areas of cooperation include establishing facilities for machinery repair and assembly, as well as the production of components, with particular emphasis on promoting innovation within Cambodia’s agricultural sector.