photo: Cut Chicken Parts at Aeon Phnom Phen
The Government of Cambodia had announced reductions on import tariffs on frozen whole poultry and poultry parts from 35 percent to 15 percent with effect from January 1, 2018. At the same time, the import duties on bone-in and boneless beef, pork, and mutton were reduced from 35 percent to 15 percent. The reduction in import tariffs have led to a dramatic jump in both poultry and meat imports into the country. While no official Cambodian import figures are published or are publicly available, the impact can be seen from the increase of Thai exports of frozen poultry to Cambodia. Exports of Thai frozen chicken rose by three-folds in volume terms from 2451 metric tons valued at US$2.55 million in 2017 to 7511 metric tons valued at US$5.1 million in 2018. During the same period, imports of meat products rose similarly by three-folds from 2626 metric tons valued at US$3.3 million in 2017 to 7723 metric tons valued at US$6.13 million in 2018.
photo: Imported Chicken vs Local Chicken at Aeon 1