Cambodian farmers urged not to cut down palm tree

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia's palm wine producer urged farmers not to cut down palm trees, saying the trees could earn much money for them, the official Agency Kampuchea Press (AKP)reported on Tuesday.

Cambodian farmers could earn an income of 500 million U.S. dollars per year if the exploitation of the palm trees was made as fully as possible, AKP quoted Confirel Company, the palm wine "Jaya" producer, as saying.

The company launched its palm wine named "Jaya" in early May.

An income being earned by each palm tree could vary from 101 U.S. dollars to 224 U.S. dollars per year, the company said, urging that the Cambodian farmers not to cut down such trees.

According to the company, its palm wine named "Jaya" available for exporting to Asian countries, mainly Vietnam. The company also presented the quality of the palm drinks, and its taste could be as competitive as imported wines, it said. While the palm juice supply was provided by as many as 500 families of the Cambodian farmers in the provinces.

Besides palm wine, the company made other products from the palm juice including vinegar, sugar and jam, which had a success in the country and abroad.

As estimated, Cambodia has 2.5 million palm trees, but at least one million trees were tapped by the Cambodian farmers.