Royal Plowing Ceremony Held in Kampong Cham Province

The Royal Plowing ceremony was held this morning under the presidency of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni at Kampong Cham provincial town, some 120 kilometers north of Phnom Penh Capital City.

During the ceremony, H.E. Lon Lim Thai, newly-appointed Governor of Kampong Cham province, guided the royal oxen and ploughed around the provincial stadium’s football field, while his wife walked behind scattering seeds on the furrowed ground.  

After the plowing, two royal oxen were driven to the seven trays containing paddy, beans, corn, sesame, water, wine and grass. The oxen only ate corn.

This is a good sign for corn growing in the country this year, said a Royal Brahmin, calling on Cambodian farmers to be ready to do their farming.

The Royal Plowing ceremony is generally held at the open square of Veal Preah Merhu in front of the National Museum in Phnom Penh, but this year, the Ministry of Royal Palace selected Kampong Cham as the host province because it is a populous province with agricultural potential.

According to the tradition, the Royal Plowing ceremony is celebrated to predict the upcoming distribution of rainfall, thus rice harvesting, in the country through the oxen’s appetite of paddy, corn, bean, grass, sesame, water, wine.

National Assembly President Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, Deputy Prime Minister and National Defense Minister H.E. Tea Banh, and many other high-ranking officials as well as national and international guests were also present at the ceremony.

Sourced: AKP