Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Business

Fishers in Kandal province sort through and clean “riel”fish, which will be used to produce “prahok,” a popular Cambodian fermented fish paste. Panha Chhorpoan

High costs and low fish catch imperil ‘prahok’ production

The shores of the Tonle Sap River in Kandal province’s Ponhea Leu district are teeming with fisher people, and licensed sales agents, selling the daily catch. Waiting eagerly are scores of people who will buy the stock and turn it into the popular, and often pungent, fermented fish paste called “prahok.”