Cambodia has passed one million tonnes of rice exports in a single year for the first time, according to figures reported on October 20. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' national plant-quarantine database recorded 1,014,442 tonnes by October 19 this year.
A longstanding target is reached
Ministry spokesman Khim Finan announced the result as a milestone for the rice industry. Cambodia set the annual million-tonne target in the early 2010s, originally aiming to achieve it by 2015. It remained unmet through the end of 2025.
The ministry's figures show exports of 538,000 tonnes in 2015. Subsequent results fluctuated, reaching 691,000 tonnes in 2020 before falling to 617,000 tonnes in 2021. Exports stood at 646,000 tonnes in 2024 and rose to 940,000 tonnes in 2025, preceding this year's breakthrough.
Established buyers and expanding markets
Cambodia Rice Federation president Lay Chhun Huor said exports had maintained positive momentum, particularly since 2025. He attributed progress to government and business cooperation on promotion, production capacity and market development.
The European Union and China remain major destinations, while Malaysia and the Philippines have also recorded substantial growth. Signature Rice chief executive Chan Pech said his company planned to export 60,000 tonnes to the Philippines by the end of 2026. That company-level plan is separate from rice already shipped.
Pech pointed to promotional work, rice quality and flavour, and improved transport infrastructure as factors supporting competitiveness and overseas orders. The announced milestone concerns exported rice, rather than an aggregate including unmilled paddy traded across borders.