Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Kingdom’s rice exports drop despite deals

Kingdom’s rice exports drop despite deals

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
A woman works in a rice processing factory in Battambang province. Heng Chivoan

Kingdom’s rice exports drop despite deals

Cambodian rice exports have dramatically declined over the past four months compared to the same period last year, causing significant concern for the rice industry even as plans are in the works to expand exports by thousands of tonnes, according to government officials.

The data, released by the General Department of Agriculture yesterday, show that total rice exports in the first four months of this year totalled 197,354 tonnes, compared to the 212,394 tonnes exported in the same period last year, a year-on-year decrease of 7 percent.

“It is really concerning for the rice industry,” said Hean Vanhan, director general of the General Department of Agriculture, yesterday. He stated that while the Cambodia rice industry could produce 10 million tonnes of raw paddy, exports are realistically expected to fall.

Vanhan claimed that even though agreements had been signed to boost exports, terms of the deals and price negotiations were still ongoing.

“We will set up a meeting with the private sector and relevant ministries to address the added challenges,” he said.

China, which agreed to accept 200,000 tonnes of rice from the Kingdom last year and will expand that quota to 300,000 tonnes this year, was the top destination for rice shipments leaving the country.

Bangladesh also inked a deal with the government last year to purchase 1 million tonnes of rice from Cambodia over the next five years. None has yet been shipped, however, as the memorandum remains in the negotiation phase.

Long Kemvichet, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce claims that the deal with Bangladesh is still being ironed out and that the two sides are, “working toward implementing the MoU”.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • Thong Khon calls for orderly SEA Games closing ceremony

    Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and permanent vice-president of the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), calls on all people who have received tickets to the May 17 closing ceremony of the biennial multi-sports extravaganza at the Morodok Techo National Stadium to ensure that the event

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is