Selling Sea Water Turns a Good Profit

By Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

The seawater sellers of Cambodia are satisfied with their profession and with good reason.

These traders transport sea water from the coasts around Sihanoukville and Kampot province to sell in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and other land-locked provinces throughout Cambodia.

Ly Sreng, 46, a sea water seller living in Khan Mittapheap, Sihanoukville, said that selling sea water made good business sense for him. He said he could make at least US $1,500 profit per month, not including expenses.

Sreng, who transports sea water from Sihanoukville to sell in Phnom Penh and other provinces said, “For the time being, I think that selling sea water is a good business for me as it requires little in the way of capital to start the trade. Nowadays, I can make a lot of money for my family from selling sea water.”

He told the Cambodia Weekly that he has been doing this business for over ten years to support his family. When he sold the water at Psar Leu in Sihanoukville in 1995, he had only one old motorbike worth about USD $150, to carry the water from the coast to sell at the markets and restaurants in Sihanoukville. A year later however, his old motorbike had been retired and he transported seawater by truck.

He continued, “Then, in 1996, I started transporting sea water from Sihanoukville to sell in Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu and Kampong Cham provinces. Now, my patch includes other provinces such as Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siemreap provinces.”

Today, Sreng’s business is so extensive that it requires three trucks to transport these costly fluids to markets and restaurants across the nation.

Another 51-year-old Sea Water Seller, Keang Hong, living in Kampot province, said he also makes a good living selling sea water. Hong started selling the sea water in 2003.

He said that every day, he had to transport at least 2,000 liters of sea water from Kampot province to Phnom Penh and other provinces to sell to his clients, the majority of them restaurateurs who specialize in seafood.

“Before I was a taxi driver, but that did not provide a living wage with which to support my family,” Hong said. “Since I changed my career I can earn significantly more to keep my family healthy.”

The merchant said he transported sea water to sell in Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Takeo, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng provinces. He said he could earn at least US $100 per day, including expenses.

Hong sells 1,000 liters of sea water for US $35 to wholesalers, whilst retail sellers are charged US $5 for 30 liters.

Yan Sreymao, 38, a wholesale seafood seller at Psar Thmey in Phnom Penh, said that every day, she had to pay at least 20,000 riel (US $5) for sea water in order to prolong the life of the fish and crabs.

She said, “If I do not use the sea water, they will die immediately and the price for a dead fish is no where near as high as one that is still squirming.”

Kong Sarim, Head Chef of Cooker at Lee Lay Hotel and Seafood Restaurant in Phnom Penh, said that every week, his restaurant has to pay at least US $30 on sea water in order to keep the stock alive. He saw it as an expensive necessity.