VOA标准英语2014--“世界上最好的大米”头衔促进柬埔寨大米出口

 

'World’s Best Rice' Title Could Boost Cambodian Rice Exports “世界上最好的大米”头衔促进柬埔寨大米出口

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA—

For the third year in a row, Cambodia’s premier¹ rice has been voted the world’s best at the World Rice Conference.

The award, which it shares this year with Thailand, comes at a time when Cambodia is looking at rice exports as a way to increase incomes for its many impoverished² subsistence farmers.

Although Cambodia is a minnow in the world rice stakes, producing just 1 percent of global output in 2012, the award for its fragrant³ romduol varietal should help promote exports.

The rice industry, though small-scale and inefficient⁴, remains⁵ key to the economy. Most Cambodians survive in part by growing rice on small plots. Inefficiencies mean large amounts of unmilled rice -- known as paddy -- go to neighboring Thailand and Vietnam where they fetch a higher price.

Sok Puthyvuth, the president of the Cambodia Rice Federation⁶, which represents all players in the industry, said, “We need better seeds, we need a better collection process, we need better storage, we need better logistics, and also our exports need to brand Cambodian rice to be one of the top brands in the world.”

Higher target

The target is 1 million tons of milled rice exported by 2015. So far this year Cambodia has exported about 400,000 tons -- mostly to the European Union.

Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon said a central tenet -- to boost farmers' incomes -- remains key to government efforts to improve the industry.

“I want to emphasize that the purpose of the rice policy is to reduce poverty, to ensure people in rural areas earn more, and to reduce the development gap between rural and urban areas,” Chhon said.

To help develop the industry, China is loaning $300 million to improve warehousing.

Premium⁷ branding

Yet longstanding problems remain, said exporter David Van, including the high cost of electricity and a lack of quality seedlings⁸.

Van also wants better branding for the award-winning rice, which currently is marketed as “Cambodian Jasmine Rice.” He said that name is too close to Thailand’s fragrant variety.

“You need to differentiate⁹ your product from your competitor next door, otherwise you will keep on being compared automatically to what the next-door competitor is offering," Van said.

"If you are talking about jasmine rice, we have a variety that has won consecutively¹⁰ the world’s best rice, which is the romduol. So maybe it is high time that we really develop a branding based on the romduol  variety," he said.

Challenges remain: Thailand’s rice stockpile has driven down prices, making it harder to compete; meantime countries like Myanmar also want to increase exports.

But even if Cambodia doesn’t reach the million-ton target next year, its award-winning rice should appear on more plates around the world, lifting incomes for millers¹¹, exporters and its millions of impoverished farmers.

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 fragrant   

adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的

参考例句：

• The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
• The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

4 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

7 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

8 seedlings   

n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 differentiate   

vi.(between)区分；vt.区别；使不同

参考例句：

• You can differentiate between the houses by the shape of their chimneys.你可以凭借烟囱形状的不同来区分这两幢房子。
• He never learned to differentiate between good and evil.他从未学会分辨善恶。

10 consecutively   

adv.连续地

参考例句：

• He was actually too depleted to think consecutively about anything. 他已经打不起一点精神，根本谈不上好好思考一下。 来自辞典例句
• In any game, the right to serve shall pass consecutively. 在一局中，不错的发球挨次应该是。 来自互联网

11 millers   

n.（尤指面粉厂的）厂主( miller的名词复数 )；磨房主；碾磨工；铣工

参考例句：

• Millers and bakers sought low grain prices. 磨粉厂主和面包师寻求低廉的谷物价格。 来自辞典例句
• He told me he already been acquainted with the Millers. 他跟我说他同米勒一家已经很熟。 来自互联网