As the Philippines grapples with food supply challenges, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has assured Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos that Cambodia is prepared to increase exports of rice and other agricultural products to support Manila’s food security.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Marcos in Malacañang on February 11, following the signing of eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between the two nations, Hun Manet reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment in agriculture. He emphasised that Cambodia stands ready to supply rice and other essential food products to the Philippines.

Marcos, in turn, highlighted Cambodia as a key partner in the country’s food security efforts, particularly with the newly signed MoU on Agricultural and Agribusiness Cooperation.

In 2023, the Philippines imported 2,500 tonnes of rice from Cambodia—the first significant rice shipment from the country since the Rice Tariffication Law took effect in 2019.

Despite being a rice-producing nation, the Philippines continues to depend on imports to meet domestic demand. In January, the Bureau of Plant Industry projected that the country will import 4.8 million tonnes of rice this year. VNA

Published Date: February 17, 2025