Weavers of straw mats in Kandal province are looking forward to the arrival of two government ferries they say will be a boon to business, lowering operating costs and providing new markets.
Ksach Kandal district is well-known for its straw mats. The watery land there is perfect for growing the reeds used to make the mats, which cover the floors in homes throughout Cambodia and as far away as Korea and Japan.
If enough customers could be found, the land in Ksach Kandal could grow enough reeds to employ 80 percent of the population in the district.
“I’m considering telling my farmers to grow more reeds and weave more mats,” said Chev Saren, governor of Ksach Kandal.
The governor said he hopes to clear out a port area and have two ferries running across the Mekong River by November.
Those ferries are being moved from the ferry crossing at Kompong Cham town. A new bridge will open there early next year, making the ferry obsolete.
For the weavers in Ksach Kandal, the new ferries will help push out expensive private ferry operators that cannot handle the large trucks making trips to Phnom Penh.
The state-run ferry plans to charge 200 riel per person, 500 per moto and 7,000 to 12,000 riel for vehicles, Chev Saren said.
Mat weavers in Ksach Kandal said they were looking forward to the ferry because prices for their goods have dropped in recent years.
The ferries will help reed and mat traders to move their goods to Phnom Penh via National Road 6, potentially opening more markets to them.
Straw mats sell for as little as 3,000 riel in Ksach Kandal. Retailers can sell them for 7,000 to 8,000 riel.
Those who have connections abroad can export the mats—either plain or multi-colored—to buyers in Japan or Korea who pay $3 to $5 per mat.
