The Prospect and Production of Natural Fiber Crop in Cambodia

Abstract

As the health conscious culture, or the so-called 'well-being culture' arose in our society, consumers started to have higher standards upon choosing which goods to purchase. Nowadays, products which are not harmful to the body as well as which are environmental friendly are being preferred. In relation to this movement, the demand of natural fibers in the global market has been continuously increasing compared to synthetic fibers which are made by harmful chemicals. In this study, we have conducted a survey on the production and the uses of the finished products of natural fibers after being processed. The objective of this study was to provide an up-to-date information on Cambodia's natural fiber industry to Korean investors, open to the possibility of the future development of natural fiber market in Cambodia. The industry of natural fibers in Cambodia relies mainly on domestic materials wherein the products are handcrafted and the craftsmen earn a small amount of income since large scale production has not yet been established. According to our survey, crops in Cambodia which can be used to make natural fiber are Kapok, Jute, Screw pine etc. including silk, Cotton and Cyperus grown in temperate areas. Despite of the abundance in resources, these are not optimally utilized for the production of natural fibers due to the lack of the natural fiber processing technologies. The future of natural fiber industry in Cambodia is very promising. Creating a favorable environment conducive for growing natural fiber crops will be crucial for the production of natural fibers. In addition, intensive and integrated training to come up with qualified technicians for natural fiber processing would be as key factor that would greatly contribute to the acceleration of Cambodia's natural fiber industry’s development.