Rice Infrastructure Bids Sought

KHMER TIMES
SOK CHAN



The Rural Development Bank (RDB) has called for expressions of interest to develop and operate a 200,000 ton rice warehouse and a rice paddy drying facility.

The drying facility would have the capacity to process 3,000 tons per day.

The government is seeking to finance additional agricultural infrastructure to address a shortage of storage and drying facilities.

The bank said the improved infrastructure was needed to make the rice sector more efficient and support farmers under a public private partnership model.

RDB CEO Kao Thach told Khmer Times yesterday the government has about $15 million to build the warehouse and drying facility in Battambang province, the country’s biggest rice-producing province.

The bank said the bidders’ proposals will be evaluated on criteria such as being a registered Cambodian business, a strong proven track record of operating rice milling and storage and stock management facilities, strong track record of building and managing relationships with farmer organizations in Battambang, and ability to provide suitable land to locate the development of the facilities. The land must be a minimum 10 hectares.

Phou Puy, president of the Green Rice Miller in Battambang and chairman of the Rice Bank, told Khmer Times that it would be an important solution to have a big rice storage warehouse and paddy drying facility in Battambang.

He said it was needed by the rice sector in Cambodia and would help millers and exporters with capacity shortages at harvest season.
“If there is big rice storage warehouse and paddy drying facility, it will help both farmers and rice millers and rice exporters,” added Mr. Phou Puy.

“Currently, the biggest paddy drying facilities are 800 and 500 tons, and smallest 40 tons per day.

“The biggest rice warehouse capacity is 50,000 tons and the smallest 2,000 tons,” said Mr. Phou Puy who has shown interest in bidding to build the facilities.

The bank said project proposals and a detailed business plan including financial and technical proposals are to be submitted by the end of the month.

The independent Mekong Strategic Partners will review the bids and send a shortlist to the RDB board of directors for final selection.