Royal concerns over silk
06/10/2008
A member of Cambodia’s royal family, Prince Sisowath Pheanuroth, has warned that the country’s silk-weaving industry could collapse because of competition from Vietnam and China.
The prince has told local media that he fears Cambodia may soon lose its access to raw silk, which it imports from China and Vietnam, 700 tonnes a year at a cost of around $20 million. Supplies may become scarce after companies in those two countries open their own silk factories, he said, adding that excess raw material is more likely to make its way to Thailand.
He urged the Cambodian government to help families involved in silk production there to expand local cultivation of mulberry trees and silkworms.
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