In a promising development for Cambodia's fisheries industry, Cambodia Quality Seal (CQS) has taken significant strides in addressing food safety concerns, positioning itself as a catalyst for positive change.

Backed by the CAPFish post-harvest Fisheries development project, CQS is ushering in a new era of enhanced food safety and consumer confidence.

CQS is a voluntary standard officially approved through the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and benchmarked against the minimum Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) requirement of Food Code (CODEX) guidance, and the existing food safety legal framework of Cambodia, ASEAN, and other potential markets.

Thorng Ra, National Safety Export, said CQS is offering invaluable support to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the fisheries sector.

Ra notes, "Consumers should provide value to products that have food safety certification because they are willing to pay higher for products without certification."

The CQS initiative provides two levels of support. CQS Basic, with $250,000 in equipment and technical assistance, where enterprises contribute over 30 percent of grants, and CQS Full, offering $100,000 in support with a 50-50 enterprise-CAPFish partnership. He added.

This approach is transforming small enterprises and value chain actors, boosting their competitiveness and market access.

"Think first about health, and buy products with standard certification for food safety," Ra emphasized, recognizing the growing importance of adhering to food safety standards in Cambodia.

While the fisheries sector has seen notable progress, it faces its share of challenges. The industry grapples with limited knowledge, unhygienic conditions in product processing, inadequate infrastructure, and a reluctance to embrace innovative technologies and practices. Furthermore, local products often struggle to compete with imported counterparts in retail markets.

However, a significant hurdle remains regarding consumer awareness and incentives. Some enterprises perceive little difference in market demand and pricing between certified and non-certified products, hindering the drive towards safer, higher-quality offerings.

The CAPFish project, funded by the European Union, plays a pivotal role in this transformation. It aligns with Cambodia's long-term vision of social and economic development, food security, and poverty reduction.

"Through upgrading private sector capacities, we expect to achieve improved recognition of Cambodia's fish products, improved market access, increased investments in the sector, and overall improved competitiveness," Ra said.

As food safety standards tighten globally, the Cambodian fisheries sector is gearing up for a competitive future. GHP and HACCP standards, considered mandatory in developed countries, are gradually becoming the norm in Cambodia as well.

Im Rachna, spokesperson at MAFF, expressed concerns about the challenges faced by the fisheries processing industry, particularly the prevalence of traditional methods over modern standards due to the need for transformation and investment from enterprises.

In regard to funding, she stated, "The enterprises don't have funds to invest, despite the UNIDO offering funding partnerships and technical support through the Fisheries Administration (FiA). The big problem lies in securing invested funds to collaborate with the project."

Rachna emphasized the importance of encouraging enterprises to become co-partners, highlighting the need for sustainability once the project is initiated and completed. She stated, "The enterprise must ensure that when the project commences and concludes, it can sustain itself."