Exhibition displays chemical-free crops in Cambodia

The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): An exhibition displaying chemical-free crops was held in Cambodia's kampong Chhnang province aimed at promoting crops grown without the use of chemicals, local media reported on Tuesday.

Nearly 1,000 farmers from Kampong Chhnang province showed their "natural method" agricultural products during the exhibition on Monday. The exhibition gave farmers a chance to show off their naturally farmed products and helped other farmers become nore aware of so-called non-chemical crops, English newspaper the Phnom Penh Post quoted Yang Saing Koma, president of the Cambodian center for Agricultural Studies and Development (CEDAC), as saying.

Dozens of vegetables and other agricultural products were shown at this year's first exhibition.

"We support the production of agricultural products without using chemical substances, and we are encouraging farmers to do more with their jobs in order to ensure food security for our country and to increase exports," said Ith Nody, under secretary of state of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

According to a report by the ministry, farmers throughout Cambodia have produced 259,610 tons of vegetables from a total land area of 47,781 hectares in the 2008-2009 farming year.

Touch Savy, a farmer from Kampong Chhnang province said the exhibition would help create market opportunities for her products and hoped more exhibitions would be organized.