SOK CHAN
Unilever is looking to source 2,000 tons of organic palm sugar a year from Cambodia, a senior manager said yesterday.
Monica Soy, senior external affairs manager at Unilever Cambodia, told Khmer Times yesterday that Unilever requires about 2,000 tons a year, to be exported from Cambodia to various factories around the world. However, she added, finding suitable local producers had so far been a challenge.
“We haven’t yet exported any palm sugar, but require it, therefore we are seeking experienced and reliable local palm sugar companies to supply us,” said Ms. Soy.
She said that “thousands” of Unilever products would likely include palm sugar in the future, although she did not specific which ones.
Unilever owns many of the world’s famous food brands, including Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, Hellman’s mayonnaise and Lipton ice tea.
According to its website, sugar – currently from sugar beet and sugar cane – makes up six percent of all of Unilever’s agricultural raw products, with much of it being used “primarily” in their various ice cream brands.
Sam Saroeun, president of the Kampong Speu Palm Sugar Promotion Association, welcomed Unilever’s interest in sourcing from Cambodia, and said he was excited to represent his association at a meeting with Unilever planned for tomorrow.
“Currently we supply palm sugar to eight local companies,” he said, with the association’s 200 members producing 400 tons.
In order to meet Unilever’s quota however, he said that another 1800 members would need to join, “from across Kampong Speu province.”
Ms. Soy said that once suitable producers had been found, and who meet the requirements of the company’s push to improve sustainability in its sourcing, the next step will be testing the sugar in Singapore – for quality and to make sure it is indeed organic – before ordering a first year test amount of 300 tons.
Last month it was announced that palm sugar from Kampong Speu province was having its application for geographical identification status reviewed by officials in the European Union (EU). Officials stated that once the GI status is granted, exports of palm sugar would get improved access to EU markets.
Production of palm sugar is very dependent on weather and production this year, Mr. Saroeun said last month, will likely be down due to the lingering effects of the drought. He also stated that access to working capital for producers needed to be improved, if the industry wished to grow, as the current practice of only paying farmers once the sugar is exported leaves many short of funds to process the palm tree sap into sugar.
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