PHNOM PENH: In the first five months of 2023, Cambodia exported 278,184 tons of milled rice and 2,142,483 tons of unprocessed paddy rice with a total value of $736.90 million USD, according to a report from the Cambodian Rice Federation.

According to the report, Cambodia exported milled rice through 48 companies to 49 destinations, totaling 278,184 tons, valued at $191.64 million USD, and 2,142,483 tons of paddy rice to Vietnam worth about $545.26 million USD.

Cambodia exports a variety of rice types to the international market. The largest share is in fragrant rice at 83.49%, followed by white rice at 10.87%, parboiled rice at 3.71% and organic rice at 1.93%. The largest share of exported Cambodian rice (42%) went to the Chinese market at $77.42 million USD, followed by European countries (37.93%) at $71.99 million USD.

Exports to the United States and four ASEAN countries combined accounted for 7.86% of the exports. The Philippines imported the largest share at 2,575 tons of rice. An additional 20 other markets comprised the remaining 10.78%.

During a meeting with nearly 20,000 factory and enterprise workers in Pou Senchey district on the morning of June 14, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen confirmed that Cambodia exports more than 4 million tons of rice per year. According to the PM, 73 foreign markets have ordered rice from Cambodia.

Prime Minister Hun Sen recalled the rice shortage in 2002 while Cambodia hosted the first ASEAN Summit. That year India donated 20,000 tons of rice to Cambodia. The government then formulated agricultural policies to boost production for domestic supply and for exporting rice to international markets.