Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC) and Cambodia Cashew Federation (CCF) Tuesday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Cambodia Hotel Association (CHA) at the Ministry of Commerce (MoC). The signing ceremony was presided over by Cham Nimul, Minister of Commerce, and was also attended by leaders and officials from the ministry, executives from marts and cashew enterprises. According to the MoC statement, the MoUs concern the ‘cooperation on the promotion of Cambodian cashew products consumption’. During the ceremony, two MoUs were signed. The first between Hy Sothea, president of Cambodia Hotel Association, and An Dara, president of Cambodia Cashew Federation. The second between Hy Sothea and Uon Silot, president of Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia. CHA has committed to purchasing cashew nuts in three years, with an annual demand of 250 tonnes that 210 tonnes will be used for processing into food, pastries, and beverages, while 40 tonnes, equivalent to 400,000 packaged units, will be sold as packaged cashew products for mini-bars and hotel rooms. “The primary goal of this cooperation is to promote the use of cashew products in the hospitality sector, enhancing the processing, utilization, and distribution of Cambodian cashew products,” read the statement. Uon Silot, president of the CAC, told Khmer Times that the MoU is highly beneficial and will help boost domestic sales and consumption by making the process more accessible. “We are actively promoting domestic sales and consumption,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Commerce is “supporting us by helping to promote and sell our cashew nuts at airports, supermarkets, and now through partnerships with the CHA, Cambodia Restaurant Association, and Cambodia Chef Association.” He added, “We must do everything we can to promote our cashew nuts locally. While the foreign market is important, we must also prioritise and maximise the use of our products within the domestic market.” According to the CAC, from January to October 2024, Cambodia produced 840,000 tonnes of cashew nuts, marking a 26 percent increase compared to the previous year. Of this, more than 790,000 tonnes were exported to Vietnam, generating $1.110 billion in revenue, an increase of 36 percent. Additionally, the price of cashew nuts rose by 9 percent compared to the same period in 2023.