The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and Inoue Calcium Corporation, a Japan-based company, held discussions on Monday on unlocking the potential of Cambodia’s cashew nut exports to Japan and identifying practical strategies to expand market access. Samheng Bora, Secretary of State of the MoC and Chairman of the Export Promotion Task Force, along with Nam Lynal, Under Secretary of State of the MoC, conducted a productive meeting with Takashi Inoue, CEO of Inoue Calcium Corporation, at the company’s headquarters in Kochi, Japan. Soeun Sothnita, co-founder of Handcrafted Cashew Nuts Stung Treng, also attended the meeting. The highlight of the meeting was the announcement of Inoue Calcium Corporation’s first trial shipment of cashew nuts from Handcrafted Cashew Nuts Stung Treng to Japan. The dialogue emphasised the Export Promotion Task Force of the MoC’s commitment to providing targeted support to enhance trade opportunities, foster stronger partnerships, and promote sustainable growth within Cambodia’s agricultural sector, particularly in the export of cashew nuts. According to a report by the Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC), Cambodia earned $1.15 billion from raw cashew nut exports in 2024, marking a 31 percent year-on-year increase. The report revealed that the Southeast Asian country exported 815,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts in 2024, representing a 24 percent year-on-year growth. It further noted that about 793,453 tonnes, or 97.3 percent of the total exports, were sold to neighbouring Vietnam.