Cambodia's Milled Rice Exports Pass One Million Tonnes for the First Time in a Historic Milestone
Cambodia's milled rice exports have surpassed one million tonnes in a single year for the first time. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Cambodia's official milled rice exports reached 1,014,442 tonnes as of Monday, October 19, surpassing all previous annual records. Prime Minister Hun Manet congratulated the achievement in a social media message on the morning of October 20, hailing it as a major milestone for the nation and its agricultural sector.
MAFF spokesperson Khim Finan described the milestone as a moment of great pride for the nation, stressing that it surpasses all previous annual export figures. According to the Cambodia Rice Federation, the Kingdom exported 940,321 tonnes of milled rice last year, generating approximately US$602.41 million in revenue; this year's total passed last year's full-year figure before the end of October.
One of the main drivers of the record growth was the expansion of shipments to the Philippines. According to Khim Finan, exports to the Philippine market previously amounted to only around 3,000 tonnes but surged to about 200,000 tonnes in 2026, accounting for approximately 20 percent of Cambodia's total rice exports. The promotion of Cambodian products in international markets, financial support for local rice mills and the development of agricultural cooperatives also played important roles.
The Cambodian government first set the one-million-tonne annual milled rice export target in 2010, aiming to reach it by 2015, but structural challenges, underdeveloped logistics and limited access to international markets delayed the goal for more than a decade, until it was finally achieved in 2026.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Schellack, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (rice paddies in Baray, Cambodia)
