The Korea Energy Research Institute is considering working with stakeholders in Cambodia to expand cooperation on the conversion of cashew shells into bioenergy and organic fertilizers, as this ASEAN country has a high potential for cashew cultivation.
The project was presented by the Korea Energy Research Institute delegation during a meeting with Lim Heng, Vice President of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce at the Office of the Chamber of Commerce in Phnom Penh on June 24, 2024.
During the meeting, the delegation of the Korea Institute of Energy also requested cooperation with the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce to promote further cooperation on recycling plastic bags into fuel and as a solution to the waste problem.
Lim Heng welcomed and supported the Korea Energy Research Institute’s new research, the planned cashew oil refining project, and the plastic waste recycling project.
“We encourage the Korea Energy Research Institute to find more partners to bring greater benefits to both economies,” he said.
According to the report of the Cambodian Cashew Association, in the first five months of 2024, Cambodia produced 766,000 tons of raw cashew nuts, of which 6677,000 tons were exported to Vietnam. This marks a significant increase of more than 30 percent compared to the same period last year, amounting to $851million, indicating a growing market for cashew products.
In 2023, Cambodia exported 665,000 tons of cashew nuts to the international market.