Chea Vanyuth / Khmer Times

Synopsis: Thach urges rice mills to step up paddy buying and collaborate more closely with exporters and key industry players to help secure Cambodia’s national export goals.

Public and private sector leaders have pledged to strengthen Cambodia’s rice value chain by stabilising paddy prices and providing working capital to support the country’s long-standing target of exporting 1 million tonnes of milled rice in 2026.

The commitment was made during a meeting held on Saturday in Battambang province, chaired by Kao Thach, CEO of the state-owned Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (ARDB), with the participation of Chan Sokheang, chairman of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) Board of Directors, Lay Chhun Hour, president of CRF, and representatives from rice mills and exporting companies.

Thach said the meeting focused on reviewing paddy procurement progress and discussing measures to achieve the 1-million-tonne rice export target, which has long been regarded as Cambodia’s “white gold”.

“Since the policy was introduced in 2010, we have faced and must acknowledge numerous complex challenges, notably the unforeseen and unreasonable decline in paddy prices in 2016,” he said.

Despite infrastructure and capital shortages impacting paddy prices, Cambodia continues to advance its rice sector.

Thach reiterated ARDB’s commitment to providing financial support to sustain annual rice exports of 1 million tonnes or more.

He urged rice mills to increase paddy procurement and strengthen cooperation with exporters and other stakeholders to help achieve the national rice export target this year.

ARDB has prepared a revolving credit facility of up to $200 million for the current harvest season, he said, enabling rice mills to purchase and stockpile paddy in a timely manner while helping stabilise market prices.

The Kingdom exported 792,212 tonnes of milled rice during the first eight months of 2026, generating $464 million in revenue. The shipments were facilitated by 61 companies across 66 global markets.

Published Date: September 14, 2026