An increase in import–export activities between Cambodia and its international partners in 2025 helped the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) collect more than $3 billion in customs revenue, equivalent to nearly 125% of the 2025 Budget Law.
Kun Nhim, GDCE director-general, shared the welcome news during a forum to implement the department’s 2026 action plan, held at the Customs National School on January 27. In attendance were GDCE officials, representatives of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, associations, private companies and other relevant stakeholders.
Nhim noted that the improvement in Cambodia’s international trade in 2025 significantly contributed to strong customs revenue collection, reaching approximately 12,760.5 billion riel (about $3.1813 million), equivalent to 124.5% of the 2025 Budget Law. He added that customs revenue in 2025 was nearly as high as in 2019, prior to the global economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts in several countries.
“In 2025, the customs revenue collection exceeded the plan by 24.5%, which is a very high figure compared to the annual target. This level of revenue is comparable to that of 2019, which was a notably high year,” he said.
In 2024, customs revenue collection was approximately 10,542.2 billion riel (about $2.5903 million), an increase of 13.8% over 2023.
Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post that economic growth and new investment projects in Cambodia in 2025 led to increased imports of raw materials and machinery to produce export goods. He believed the figure could increase further in 2026 if global political and economic conditions do not present major obstacles.
He also noted that the positive growth in revenue is partly due to more effective enforcement of tax laws by tax authorities and improved compliance by taxpayers in Cambodia.
“Tax revenue is a key source of funding for the government to invest in infrastructure development, human resource development and many other areas to promote national economic growth. It also helps strengthen the government’s independence in financing public investment within the country,” he added.
For 2026, the government plans to collect 27,329 billion riel (approximately $6.8 billion) in total tax revenue (compared to 27,973 billion riel in 2025). Customs revenue is projected at 12,049 billion riel (about $3 billion), with domestic tax revenue at 15,280 billion riel (about $3.8 billion), according to the 2026 Budget Law.
