Cambodia gov't seizes back economic land concession licenses from 23 companies last year

Cambodian Environment Minister Say Samal said Tuesday that the government had cancelled licenses of economic land concessions (ELCs) for 23 companies last year after the firms have failed to develop the land for years. "In the past year, a total area of 90,682 hectares of the ELCs had been taken back from 23 companies and put under the management of the Environment Ministry,"he said at a press conference.

The government has awarded ELCs to investors in order to develop agricultural projects such as plantations, raising animals and building factories to process agricultural products. Companies could possess ELCs up to 99 years.

In the last two decades, the Southeast Asian nation had granted ELCs of over 1 million hectares to more than 100 local and foreign firms.

In May 2012, Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered a temporary halt to granting ELCs to new firms with an aim of strengthening the effective management of ELCs. Endi