CAC News

Kampong Thom, March 16, 2026 — The Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia (CAC) held a meeting with representatives from iDE Canada on March 16 at the CAC head office in Kampong Thom Province to explore potential investment and development opportunities in Cambodia’s cashew sector, with a focus on supporting women-led enterprises.

The visit is part of iDE Canada’s feasibility study on SHE (Women’s Economic Empowerment) investment, aimed at identifying ways to strengthen women-owned businesses within the agricultural value chain. The study trip includes visits to the CAC headquarters as well as several local enterprises and organizations, including an agricultural cooperative, 3CORsECO enterprise, and Pinex Agro Co., Ltd.

Operating in Cambodia since 1994, iDE has focused on improving livelihoods by building sustainable business models in agriculture, clean water, and sanitation that deliver affordable and beneficial products and services.

During the meeting, discussions centered on potential strategies to strengthen Cambodia’s cashew industry while empowering women entrepreneurs. Cashew nuts were identified as a priority high-value crop with strong potential for investment and value addition.

One key proposal discussed was to retain raw cashew nuts (RCN) within Cambodia for local processing, rather than exporting them in raw form. Processing cashews domestically and utilizing byproducts could help reduce production costs and enhance the competitiveness of Cambodian cashew products in international markets.

The initiative also aims to support existing women-led processing facilities by helping them maintain sufficient stocks of raw cashew nuts for year-round operations.

As part of the proposed project, iDE is considering providing loans at an interest rate of around 5 percent with no collateral requirement to selected enterprises. The financing model would help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expand their processing capacity and improve operational stability.

Under the initial phase of the program, five SMEs will be selected to participate in the project.

In addition to financing, iDE plans to provide training in financial management, bookkeeping, and related business skills to ensure that participating enterprises effectively manage their loans and strengthen their processing operations.

Silot Uon, President of  CAC, said that the collaboration between CAC and iDE Canada reflects growing interest in supporting women-led agribusinesses and expanding Cambodia’s cashew processing capacity, a sector increasingly recognized as a strategic agricultural industry for the country.