Thais to Facilitate Blocked Maize Exports
Farmers working in a corn field in Pailin, near the Thai border. Thailand has blocked maize exports from the Kingdom, citing irregular Cambodian export documents. KT/Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan
A month after Thailand blocked agricultural products from Cambodia over improperly stamped and signed certification documents, the Thai ambassador on Friday pledged to seek a solution for Cambodias maize exports.
Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak said on Saturday that Cambodian authorities are doing their utmost to solve the issue, and requested that the Thai embassy to allow maize through as quickly as possible.
According to a statement on the Ministry of Commerces website, Thai Ambassador Nuttavudh Photisaro met with secretary of state Sok Sopheak on the issue of exports, reportedly pledging to raise the matter with relevant ministries in Thailand as soon as possible.
Last week, the ministry issued a statement saying that they had sent updated versions of the signatures and seals used on official certificates of origin required to export agricultural products to Thailand, and claimed that this would iron out the issue, although this appears to have been premature.
On Saturday, Sou Dara, deputy director of the Commerce Ministrys trade promotion department said they were still waiting to see the reply from their Thai counterparts on the issue.
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