Cambodia and China have signed an agreement that will see the export of $35 million worth of cashew nuts in the shell. The quantity is tipped to rise to as much as $400 million in the future.
A March 11 meeting at the Ministry of Commerce saw the signing of the “Supply Contract of Cambodian Cashew Nuts” memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the China Bonded Port Group Co., Ltd. and Men Sarun MDR Co., Ltd. The deal will see the M23 variant of cashews, a large-sized nut which is widely grown in the Kingdom, sent to China.
The MoU was witnessed by ministry secretary of state Samheng Bora, who serves as chairman of the Export Promotion Task Force (EPTF), and Jiang Xiaofei, director of the Overseas Enterprise Expansion Working Committee of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS).
According to the ministry, the meeting also aimed to strengthen economic cooperation, while exploring avenues to boost Cambodian agricultural exports.
Bora and the delegation exchanged views on supporting improvements in the agro-industry sector and value chains, which are key drivers for Cambodia’s sustainable economic development.
Under the new agreement, Cambodia will begin exporting M23 cashews in the shell. While the initial trade value is expected to be about $35 million, both parties share a strategic vision to expand export volumes, potentially to around $400 million.
“This remarkable milestone is the direct result of the active coordination and dedicated business-matching efforts of the EPTF, which serves as a key catalyst in connecting Cambodian exporters with potential international buyers,” said a ministry statement.
“The robust cooperation between the two companies not only ensures the continued growth of cashew exports but also sends a positive signal to Chinese investors, ultimately paving the way for broader expansion of national agricultural exports into global markets,” it added.
According to the Cashew nut Association of Cambodia, in 2025 the Kingdom produced 1,020,757 tonnes of raw cashew nuts, with 1,000,757 of them exported to Vietnam. This generated about $1.5 billion in revenue — an increase of 27% over 2024.
