Increasing Buyers’ Capacity to Respond to Market Demand

Cambodia’s juicy and sweet mango is in high demand for the export market. Although Cambodia has many varieties of mango, Keo Romeat mangoes (pictured at left) are the most popular on the international market.

Vuth Chanthou is a mango buyer in Battambang province, part of the Feed the Future’s Zone of Influence. Chanthou exports grade one mango to the Thai market, sending the rest to a wholesale market in Battambang. Chanthou has been working as a mango buyer for five years, developing a positive relationship with ten producers, exporting around 1,000 tons on- and off-season mango per year. Chanthou wanted to buy more, but she was having problems finding new producers.

Vuth Chanthou, a mango buyer in Battambang stands in front of her car and truck, preparing to collect mango from her producers. 

©Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II/2018/Solina Kong

Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II is a project designed to help horticulture actors connect and work more closely together. Harvest II has connected Chanthou to an additional 21 producers and collectors, doubling her mango sourcing by increasing farm-level sales of $582,901 between December 2017 and June 2018.

Harvest II has also connected input supply companies to Chanthou’s producers to provide advice about fertilizer, pruning, pests and disease control. This helps improve fruit tree health and increase yield and quality. The companies also provided in-depth technical demonstrations at mango farms that brought together producers and Chanthou to observe the new techniques.

Sok Nat is one of the new producers who just harvested mango for Chanthou for the very first time. He had negotiated with various buyers before, but their offers were low and they wanted to buy only the best quality mango instead of the entire crop. Harvest II brought Chanthou to visit Nat’s farm and facilitated the negotiation. Through Harvest II’s facilitation, Chanthou agreed to purchase Nat’s entire mango harvest and provided a cash advance to ensure the purchase agreement. Nat supplied all his mango (55 tons) to Chanthou and is willing to work with her again for the next mango season.

Harvest II has also linked Chanthou to another new producer, Cheav Chhoun, who was looking for a buyer. Chhoun also received training from input supply companies, helping him better understand how to take care of his mango trees. He said, “Many buyers come to negotiate with me, but only Chanthou offers me a good price.”

Producer Cheav Chhoun collects mango for buyer Vuth Chanthou.

©Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II/2018/Solina Kong

Chanthou said, “I am happy that Harvest II connected me to more producers so I can increase my export capacities.” Chanthou is planning to expand to the Vietnamese market next year and expects to increase her sales to $1 million per year. Harvest II will continue to help Chanthou work more effectively with producers while also helping her scout new export opportunities.