Cambodia’s agricultural sector hit a milestone in 2024. The country exported 11.6 million tons of agricultural products, a 3.2% increase from the previous year. This generated $4.79 billion in export revenue, signaling rising global demand for Cambodian crops like rice, rubber, cassava, mangoes, and bananas. At the same time, paddy production reached a record level of 14 million tonnes for the 2024/25 season. These achievements show clear Cambodia Agricultural Export Opportunities, especially as global buyers look for new sources of affordable, high-quality food products.
Favorable weather and expanded planting areas helped achieve this new high. As a result, this ensures Cambodia has a strong supply base for both local consumption and foreign markets.
Diverse Export Markets in Cambodia Agricultural Export Opportunities
Cambodia has successfully tapped into several international markets. China is a major buyer of Cambodian agricultural goods. Other important destinations include Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, and various European countries. This diverse buyer base gives Cambodia resilience and bargaining power in trade.
However, much of what is exported still leaves the country in raw form. For example, Cambodia exported over 3.5 million tonnes of paddy rice to Vietnam in 2022–23. That rice was then processed and re-exported under Vietnam’s brand. This highlights a major missed opportunity: capturing more value through domestic processing.
The Value-Addition Gap
Despite strong export volume, Cambodia struggles to maximize the economic value of its agricultural sector. Currently, only 5% of raw cashew nuts are processed inside the country. This means most cashews are sold cheaply and processed abroad, where other countries earn higher profits.
The same challenge applies to other key crops. Without local agro-processing facilities, Cambodia continues to export raw materials rather than finished goods. This limits income for farmers, traders, and the national economy.
High Costs and Limited Technology Challenging Cambodia Agricultural Export Opportunities
Beyond processing, there are other barriers. Production costs remain high, especially for key inputs like fertilizer. Cambodia imports fertilizers from Vietnam, spending around $207 million each year. On top of that, electricity prices in Cambodia are among the highest in Southeast Asia. This makes it expensive to run processing plants, discouraging investment in value-added industries.
Farming technology is also underdeveloped. Many smallholders still use outdated methods, which reduce productivity and crop quality. Limited access to advanced tools and training keeps Cambodia from reaching its full agricultural potential.
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Agriculture’s Role in the Economy
Agriculture still employs nearly 40% of Cambodia’s workforce, though its contribution to GDP has fallen from 50% in the early 1990s to about 22% in 2023. This shows the sector’s critical role in livelihoods—and the need to modernize it to create better-paying jobs and improve national income.
With better infrastructure, more investment in processing, and wider access to affordable technology, Cambodia could boost both employment and export earnings.
Cambodia Agricultural Export Opportunities: Turning Potential into Profit
The path forward lies in strengthening the domestic value chain. Cambodia has the land, the output, and the market demand. What’s missing is the ability to turn crops into finished products at home. Improving agro-processing capacity, lowering energy costs, and promoting public-private partnerships can help Cambodia unlock billions in added value. These steps for Cambodia Agricultural Export Opportunities would reduce reliance on raw exports and ensure more profit stays within the country.