Cambodia passes million-tonne rice export target as Philippine sales grow

Cambodia surpassed its annual goal of exporting 1 million tonnes of rice, with shipments reaching 1,014,442 tonnes from January 1 to October 19, 2026, according to the agriculture ministry. The ministry described the volume as a record, meeting a target established more than a decade earlier.

The Philippines accounted for 20.45 per cent of Cambodia’s rice exports during January–October 2026, purchasing 219,881 tonnes. Agricultural cooperation was discussed on November 12 by Cambodia’s agriculture minister, Dith Tina, and Philippine ambassador Senen T. Mangalile. Both sides said they were ready to broaden agri-food cooperation for the benefit of farmers and consumers.

Cambodia Rice Federation president Lay Chhun Hour told The Phnom Penh Post on November 13 that Philippine demand offered room for further sales. He said most Cambodian shipments to that market were soft-textured white rice, particularly the OM 5451 variety, whose characteristics matched local preferences.

Pricing remained a constraint, Chhun Hour said, with Cambodian rice sold to the Philippines costing approximately US$30 to US$80 more per tonne than Vietnamese rice. He said reliable supply, product quality and competitive pricing were necessary to retain buyers and win new customers. In 2025, Cambodia shipped 940,321 tonnes of rice worth US$602.41 million to 75 destinations through 68 exporting companies.