The Chinese investment company and mango exporter Cam MJ Agricultural Park Co Ltd is installing a packaging machine and industrial steaming equipment for pest control at its newest facility in Kampong Speu province.

This comes following the Chinese government’s June 9 official approval of the export of 500,000 tonnes of Cambodian fresh mangoes per year to the country.

China’s total demand for mangoes stands at about eight million tonnes per year, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Its General Directorate of Agriculture director-general Ngin Chhay has said the South Korean-owned Hyundai Mao Legacy Co Ltd factory is the only plant in Cambodia which can effectively prepare mangoes for export to China’s standards.

The factory is based in Treng Trayoeng commune’s Peam Tung village in Kampong Speu’s Phnom Sruoch district. It uses steam treatments to sterilise crops and exterminate pests and can produce about 15 tonnes of export-ready mangoes per day.

This is not enough to meet the demand for exports.

Cam MJ Agricultural Park chief of administration Chhun Daro told The Post on Monday that his company has finished building the infrastructure to install the two pieces of equipment.

“We’ve ordered the steam cleaner [and packaging machine] from abroad and the facility is ready for the machine to be set up,” he said.

Daro said his company currently operates two factories in the Kingdom – a 100ha mango processing plant located in Kampong Speu’s Kong Pisey district, and the 24ha plant in Phnom Sruoch district awaiting the equipment.http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/china-mango-firm-installs-steamer