PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's collective trademark of Sen Kra'op (SKO) fragrant rice has won a gold award in the 1st China-ASEAN Taste Quality Appraisal Activities of High-Quality Indica Rice Variety.

The award ceremony was held late last week at Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Seed Management Station and Rice Research Institute of Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Science, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

On his social media networks this morning, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, expressed his congratulations to SKO on receiving the gold award.

Sixty-one (61) rice varieties, of which 12 from five ASEAN member countries, were summited for the contest, the Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF)'s press release dated Oct. 31 stated.

SKO was recognised by the competition committee as a good and delicious rice variety, said CRF, stressing that with the gold award, SKO will be recognised more widely and have a wider market.

The collective trademark of SKO was officially inaugurated in June 2022 aiming to increase exporters' confidence and boost the export of milled rice to the global markets.

SKO fragrant rice is popular all over Cambodia, as it provides high yields, is aromatic and of good quality, and is soft and delicious, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.

Cambodia had exported 456,581 tonnes of milled rice in the first nine months of 2023, earning US$327.4 million, CRF pointed out.

Of the figure, 155,366 tonnes were shipped to China during the above-mentioned period, generating a gross revenue of US$99.6 million.