How to make money in agriculture business? That’s the question that many Cambodian farmers keep asking themselves. Cambodia is the next corner of Asia innovation as its youthful population can drive positive transformation from within. 

Since 2008, Mr. Yun Sophat, the owner of Huy Yun Agriculture Co., Ltd., has been a part of this sector, and his hope is to allow Cambodian farmers to make more profits doing what they do best: Farming!

Agriculture in Cambodia is one of the main factors making this country prosperous, but without innovation, it is vulnerable to changes happening in the region, not to mention the globe. One of those threats is the cost of farming, mainly because of the lack of local materials, meaning the farmers have been forced to rely on exported materials in order to grow their rice, for example. Particularly, fertilizer is the catalyzer for various types of crops. The problem is, the demand for fertilizer has outweighed the supply from local producers. 

With problem comes the opportunity, for entrepreneurs, of course. Mr. Yun Sophat who is the next Benjamin Franklin of Cambodia agriculture has found a solution to that fertilizer shortage in Cambodia. He goes on his way to produce fertilizer to support the local farmers. Even better, he is committed to making lives better by producing only the natural fertilizer (aka organic fertilizer). While the needs for organic products (crops, fruits, and vegetables) have been noticeably growing, the contribution from local farmers appears slim, compared to that of the non-organic products, ranking from banana, mango, durian, corn, rice, you name it.

Mr. Sophat reiterates the 2024 report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that Cambodia is a 2-million-ton market when it comes to fertilizer. The organic fertilizer is merely half a million tons while the rest is non-organic.   

His company capability can produce nearly 50,000 tons of organic fertilizer per year, but it is nowhere near enough. Nonetheless, the company is expected to grow in terms of production power in the future. This estimation is not without ground; in the second interview with Baksey Media, his company has transformed itself dramatically from a small workshop to a big factory. Notably, the land that hosts his company was once a ghost-forest-liked place, according to his description. After its opening and operation, his company has employed many people from the nearby area, making this place livelier and more vibrant than ever before.

His business philosophy is: Better quality with unchanging price! In plain language, his company aims at providing better quality, and surprisingly with the same price. 

His company has been a contributing part to reduce city waste by purchasing 200 tons of renewable yet relevant waste each day (equivalent to 73,000 tons a year) to make fertilizer. It is yet another innovative idea employed by Huy Yun Agriculture Co., Ltd.; it benefits both ways, so to speak. Through this purchasing of waste, new jobs are created out of garbage. In return, his company has reduced the costs of raw materials too.

In the same interview, Mr. Sophat reveals that to produce good-quality organic fertilizer that is rich of nourishment, twelve types of ingredient are needed, including cow tibia, vegetable waste, and oyster shell.

Mr. Sophat prides himself in the utilization of technology in agriculture. He repeatedly mentions the uses of innovative technology in agriculture, at big and small scale alike. Not many old-schooled farmers in Cambodia are awakened to that important aspect of farming. Let alone employing the technology. He believes that agriculture can and should focus on innovation in order to compete in the global market. Moreover, the purpose of innovation is to reduce cost also, he implies.            

Agriculture is important and the national policy, says Mr. Sophat. He hopes that through agriculture, Cambodia economy can be developed.

His key message for the farmer entrepreneurs: To prevent the loss in business, farmers or producers should see through the market and serve it at the right time and the right method. To follow old habits (from three to ten years ago) couldn’t be more wrong from the rapid change of the market. One must constantly innovate to keep up with the trend, but most importantly, to get ahead of the crowd.

Last but not least, if farmers switch to use local fertilizer from local producers, the development of farming sector can and will improve greatly, leading to the employment opportunity for more Cambodians, Mr. Sophat says.