Cambodia exported 300,000 tons of fresh and dry cassava in 2013, down 58 percent compared with the 720,000 tons recorded a year earlier, according to figures by the Commerce Ministry on Saturday.

The country earned a revenue of 16 million US dollars from cassava export last year, also down 58 percent from 38.6 million U. S. dollars for 2012, the figures showed.

Cassava, which is used to produce animal feed and ethanol, has been sold to Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and China.

Som Yen, director of Malai Trading Company in northwestern Banteay Meanchey province, which brokers cassava for Thailand, said the decline was due to last year's flood that destroyed some cassava crops and that some farmers had abandoned planting cassava and turned to corn because of uncertainties of cassava markets.

"Our cassava is heavily relying on markets in neighboring countries, namely Thailand and Vietnam," he said. "The price has irregularly fluctuated -- it is up to the mouths of buyers, so it discourages farmers from growing this kind of crop."



He said a ton of dry cassava was bought from farmers at a price of 187 US dollars on Saturday.