November 18, 2008
by pna
HANOI, Nov. 18 — Cambodia opened its first ethanol factory, designed to produce bio-fuel from cassava flour on Monday, NAM news network reported.
The project, backed by investment totaling 40 million USD, has opened two branches in Kampong Cham and Battambang provinces to facilitate the purchase of cassava from local farmers, Prime Minister Hun Sen was quoted as saying at the opening ceremony of the pioneering venture, funded by the MH Bio-energy Group of the Republic of Korea.
It will directly create 192 job opportunities for local workers and encourage farmers in the region to plant more cassava, he said, adding that the factory has also invested in growing cassava on 8,000 hectares of land in Kampong Speu province.
Speaking at the ceremony, Industry, Mines and Energy Minister Suy Sem was quoted as stating that the factory has an output capacity of 36,000 tonnes of ethanol fuel per year, which will be exported primarily to the European market.
Cassava is one of the most important economic crops in rural Cambodia. Approximately 30,000 hectares of land were planted with cassava in 2005 in the kingdom, with a total yield of around 536,000 tons of flour, according to the news network. (PNA/VNA)
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