The government has designated eight provinces to start boosting vegetable production this year in a move to curb flow of imports from neighboring countries, mainly Vietnam. According to Vongsey Vissoth, secretary of state for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the country spends about $200mn a year importing vegetable from neighboring countries. He said Cambodia lacked a proper system of production, which made locally produced vegetables more expensive than imports. The ministry will establish a large area close to markets and water resources that will enable farmers to produce high quality vegetables that are able to compete with imported ones, he added. The project, called Boosting Food Projection 2017-2019, has a government budget of some $20mn, of which about $10mn is for the production of vegetables and other crops. (Source: Khmer Times)