Chinese agro firm Rui Feng (Cambodia) International Company Ltd. plans to begin operations at its $250 million sugar production factory in Preah Vihear province early this year, company and provincial officials said yesterday.
Puy Yang, the CEO’s assistant, said the factory would begin production in March 2016 after the remaining 10 percent of construction is completed.
The factory will be able to produce 20,000 tons of processed sugar a day for export and will employ more than 1,000 Cambodian workers alongside 14 Chinese workers, according to the company’s project brief.
“About 9,000 additional workers could be employed on the company’s $50 million sugar plantation, which covers 40,000 hectares of land,” said Mr. Yang, adding that the company would also buy cane from local farmers.
Provincial deputy governor Sou Serey said the income opportunities from employment and selling to the factory would be beneficial for the region.
“Firstly, people in neighboring provinces could come to work here, and secondly those who used to migrate to work in other countries could also change their minds to work in Cambodia,”
Mr. Serey said. Rui Feng and other foreign-owned plantations in the area have been involved in land disputes with local villagers for the past several years.
