PHNOM PENH: Large American companies are willing to invest directly in Cambodia, particularly in the export of Cambodian agricultural products to American and international markets.

The intention was underlined by a delegation of American investors and businessmen in a meeting here yesterday with H.E. Pan Sorasak, Cambodian Minister of Commerce.

Cambodia is an important breadbasket for agricultural products contributing significantly to regional and global food security, the U.S. delegation noted, adding that potential U.S. markets for Cambodian agricultural products are the city of Lowell of Massachusetts, California, Seattle, Texas, etc.

For his part, H.E. Pan Sorasak welcomed the investment intention which, he stressed, will help promote agricultural production in Cambodia.

In order to facilitate the export to foreign markets and avoid the problem of phytosanitary standards and product standards, H.E. Minister encouraged American investors and businessmen to invest directly in the processing and packaging of agricultural products in Cambodia instead of exporting fresh agricultural products without processing.

Potential Cambodian products for U.S. markets include cashew nuts, mangoes, coconuts, pepper, salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, eggs, fish, oranges, rice paddy, plywood products, and so on.