Clam wholesalers have appealed to fishermen and shellfish raisers to increase production to satisfy the increasing demands of local and international customers, writes Khouth Sophakchakrya for The Phnom Penh Post.
"Clams have been selling well since the increase in the price of beef, pork, chicken and fish,"Chhim Thunny, a clam wholesaler in Trolork Bek village, Boeng Kak commune, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh, told the news agency.
Surging food prices have left many Cambodians unable to afford meat products, forcing them to turn to cheaper alternatives.
According to The Phnom Penh Post, Chhim Thunny said that with the boom in the clam market he can earn an average of US$200 per day.
Veng Thai, director of Phnom Penh Municipal Heath Department, said that eating clams can reduce fat and cholesterol, adding that clams do not harm people with hypertension and skin allergies.
According to a report compiled by the Fisheries Administration, one Cambodian person consumes one kilogram of clams every three months, said Sam Nuov, deputy director of Fisheries Administration.
"The government is now trying to encourage shellfish raisers to increase shellfish breeding including lobsters," he said.
Cambodian Clams: A Healthy Demand
CAMBODIA - The Sale of clams in Cambodia has shot up as consumers are increasingly priced out of the rising beef, chicken and pork prices.