On the morning of January 8, 2025, Samdech Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, met with a delegation from the Cambodian Rice Federation at the Peace Palace to discuss advancements in the rice sector.

During the meeting, Neak Oknha Hun Lak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cambodian Rice Federation, updated the Prime Minister on the organization's efforts to enhance Cambodian rice exports internationally. Oknha highlighted the Federation's focus on maintaining the quality of Cambodian rice, as well as its initiatives for collecting rice from farmers, and preparing for drying, storage, and export.

Prime Minister Hun Manet commended the Cambodian Rice Federation for its contributions to the Royal Government's efforts in developing the rice sector. He emphasized the agricultural sector's vital role in improving citizens' livelihoods and driving socio-economic development in Cambodia. The Prime Minister reiterated that the Royal Government prioritizes rice as a long-term strategic crop and outlined essential policies to enhance the competitiveness of the Cambodian rice sector. This includes developing connectivity infrastructure, streamlining transportation, reducing production costs, and promoting domestic supply chain ownership while expanding exports to international markets.

Additionally, the Prime Minister encouraged the Cambodian Rice Federation to strengthen collaboration with relevant ministries and government institutions to promote direct exports to international markets with higher added value. He also urged the Federation to provide technical skills training to farmers to improve product quality and productivity, and to disseminate information on the advancements in Cambodian rice production widely.