PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has asked the Japan-Cambodia Association (JCA) to invest more in Cambodia's agriculture.

The request was made by the minister, H.E. Dith Tina, during a meeting with H.E. Fumiaki Takahashi, President of JCA and Former Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, here in Phnom Penh on Nov. 22.

H.E. Dith Tina affirmed that the ministry is ready to cooperate and coordinate with Japanese investors wishing to invest in the country.

Cambodia has potential agricultural products for export to Japan, including fresh mango and cashew nuts, said the minister, adding that Cambodia is also trying to expand the market for the cashew shell, which can be processed into biomass energy.

He also underlined Cambodia's agricultural development policy to promote solid and reliable modern agriculture community development to supply large-scale investment.

The ministry will deploy 1,600 of its technical officials to help train local farmers technically and support them to expand the markets for their produce.