Canned eel and canned Khmer riel fish have taken concrete form under the initiative and leadership of Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Dith Tina. While most canned fish products in the market rely on marine fish, this initiative focuses on locally available freshwater species. The canned Khmer riel fish was researched and produced by the Department of Agro-Industry, while the canned eel product was developed by the Department of Fisheries Post-harvest Technologies and Quality Control (DFPTQ) under the Fisheries Administration (FiA). These products show a practical effort to turn Cambodia’s existing natural resources into food products that are ready for the market.
More broadly, this initiative reflects a shift in policy toward processing raw agricultural and fisheries products into value-added food. Moving beyond the sale of raw outputs can help raise incomes for farmers and fishermen, create jobs in processing, packaging, and distribution, and increase the variety of food products available in the domestic market. This approach also helps reduce dependence on imported processed foods and supports the long-term development of a more resilient and self-reliant agri-food value chain in Cambodia.