Cambodia’s rice export market has recorded remarkable growth. In the first 11 months of 2025, milled rice exports surpassed 800,000 tonnes and generated over $526 million in revenue. When combined with earnings from paddy rice exports, Cambodia’s rice sector earned more than $1.9 billion during this period.
Industry insiders are optimistic that the long-standing national goal of exporting one million tonnes of rice in a year, set more than a decade ago by former Prime Minister Hun Sen, could be achieved either this year or the next.
The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) reported that from January to November 2025, Cambodia exported 801,643 tonnes of rice, generating $526.47 million. During the same period in 2024, exports totalled just 575,562 tonnes, with total revenue of $413.9 million. The Kingdom exported rice to 72 countries and territories, through 65 exporting companies.
The main export destinations were Europe (26 countries): 307,630 tonnes, worth $236.54 million, China and its autonomous regions: 188,189 tonnes, worth $116.53 million, ASEAN (8 countries): 218,313 tonnes, worth $93.5 million, and 34 other countries, with 87,511 tonnes, worth $79.9 million.
Fragrant rice made up the largest sector, at 65.15%, white rice was 14.79%, parboiled rice, 2.07%, organic rice 1.46%, broken rice 16.07% and others, 0.46%.
In the same period, Cambodia exported 6,097,013 tonnes of paddy rice, generating $1.408 billion. During the same period the previous year, the totals were $6,642,511 tons and $1.37873 billion.
CRF president Lay Chhun Hour told The Post on December 11 that the 800,000 tonne total marks the largest rice-export volume in Cambodia’s history. From 2008 to 2024, Cambodia’s annual milled rice exports ranged from more than 300,000 to 600,000 tonnes, and in the last 7–8 years, exports stayed between 600,000–650,000 tonnes.
“In 2025, we expect rice exports to reach between 900,000 and one million tonnes. The million-ton target is what the Cambodian government set 10 years ago,” he said.
According to Hour, in the past decade, rice milling facilities in Cambodia have received increasing government support to enhance international competitiveness. Government interventions include tax exemptions, export facilitation, financial support through rural and agricultural development banks, improvements in irrigation infrastructure and the strengthening of cultivation and seed systems.
On December 3, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina met with a delegation from the Philippines company Food Terminal Incorporated, led by company president and CEO Joseph Rudolf Lo, to explore the possibility of sourcing rice directly from Cambodia for the Philippine market.
Tina believed the new agricultural trade link could bring mutual benefits. The Philippines would secure a high-quality rice supply, while Cambodia would gain a new international market.
“Opening this new rice market will also enable the ministry’s partner rice mills to purchase more paddy rice from our farmers, and at a wider scale,” he said.
