ASEAN

Meat and frozen meat containers from India released

CAMBODIA will release 35 containers loaded with frozen meat and other foodstuff shipped from India after they were held in Sihanoukville Autonomous Port.

Authorities decided to release the containers after tests showed no traces of the coronavirus in the items.

According to a report in The Phnom Penh Post, the containers were shipped to Cambodia prior to an indefinite ban imposed on May 1 on the import of frozen meats and other frozen goods that were categorised as "high-risk" from India. Ministry of Commerce's director-general for Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Prevention Phan Oun said the commission will work out the best way to clear the goods from customs import procedures as soon as possible.

The frozen goods ban was an apparent preventive measure to contain the spread of Covid-19 amid a devastating coronavirus wave in the sub-continent.

Cambodia had said it will destroy frozen goods originating from India that are found to be infected with the virus and pursue other legal action.

The Ministry will also raise the issue with the Indian authorities.

The ban will likely slow the growth of buffalo meat imports from India this year, which saw imports worth more than US$9 million in just the first two months.

This is over 52 per cent of the US$17.7 million logged in for the whole of last year, which itself was up by more than 170 per cent from US$6.4 million in 2019.

According to the Indian embassy in Phnom Penh, the buffalo meat imports accounted for about 12 per cent of the bilateral trade between Cambodia and India.

At a forum on meat supply in Cambodia held earlier this month, Indian ambassador to Cambodia Devyani Khobragade spoke at length about the gap between local production and domestic consumption, and export opportunities for Indian companies in Cambodia.

"Indian companies will be able to supply high-quality meat and meat products to Cambodia at lower prices and increase their market share and further contribute to strengthening trade and trade relations between the two countries," she said.

Cambodia and India have started talks on the possible establishment of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) as the two countries boost cooperation in all sectors, particularly trade.

Meanwhile, the Khmer Times reports that Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak and Devyani held a virtual meeting on May 13, where they discussed the Free Trade Agreement between both nations.

"The two parties discussed progress on the possible establishment of a Cambodia-India Free Trade Agreement in which the members of the working groups of the two countries cooperate in finalising a draft of an agreement for the trade negotiation committee," said a statement from the ministry.

Trade between Cambodia and India totalled US$190 million in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 25 per cent.

Figures from 2020 recorded Cambodian exports worth US$61 million to India, a 5 per cent decrease from 2019 while imports from India fell by 33 per cent to US$128 million.

The study of an FTA being established with India follows Cambodia and South Korea having announced the completion of their FTA negotiations earlier this year.

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