Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian Senate, has urged Saudi Arabia to purchase rice from Cambodia and encourage Saudi investors to invest in Cambodia’s rice production sector, particularly in processing and exporting rice to Saudi Arabia.

During the first 11 months of 2024, Cambodia exported more than 7,000 tonnes of rice to the Gulf nation.

The former prime minister is leading a Cambodian delegation on a December 8-14 official visit to four countries in the Middle East and Europe, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The purpose of the visit is to strengthen and expand cooperation between Cambodia’s legislative institutions and their counterparts in these regions.

During a December 9 meeting with Abdullah Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia, at the council’s headquarters in Riyadh, Hun Sen expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for their warm welcome. He also shared his hopes for the further strengthening of bilateral ties in the fields of tourism, trade and sport.

Hun Sen encouraged Saudi investors to invest in Cambodia, specifically in rice milling, storage facilities and packaging, to facilitate the export of Cambodian rice to Saudi Arabia and its neighbouring countries.

“Our two countries should begin by cooperating on rice exports from Cambodia to Saudi Arabia. Cambodia now has better irrigation systems and surplus rice production,” he said, adding “Saudi Arabia has energy security, while Cambodia has food security. Our two nations can complement each other.”

Al-Sheikh acknowledged the importance of Hun Sen’s proposals and promised to consider them seriously. He also announced that Saudi Arabia would soon open an embassy in Cambodia, which would facilitate and strengthen bilateral relations further.

According to Lun Yeng, secretary-general of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), Cambodia exported around 7,500 tonnes of rice to the Middle East in the first 11 months of 2024, of which approximately 7,200 tons were absorbed by Saudi Arabia. The Middle East is considered a potentially strong market for Cambodian rice. Through Saudi Arabia, Cambodian rice can also flow into other countries in the region and nearby African nations.

“Currently, the Middle East is a leading market for Cambodian rice, dominated by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These two countries serve as key gateways to distribute rice to other Middle Eastern countries like Oman. Recognising this potential, last year, the CRF participated in a trade exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” he explained.

He believed that Hun Sen’s visit would serve to enhance cooperation while also promoting Cambodian products to people in the Arab world. Saudi Arabia is the largest and most populous country in that region.

A report from the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) revealed that from January to November, the Kingdom exported 575,562 tonnes of rice, earning approximately $413 million. The main destinations included the EU (283,981 tonnes), China (109,448 tonnes) and the ASEAN nations – including Timor-Leste.

The remaining rice was sent to markets in Africa, the Middle East, North America and Oceania.

The CRF also reported that in addition to rice exports, 4.6 million tonnes of paddy rice was exported, generating an estimated revenue of $1.38 billion.

Hin Pisei

The Phnom Penh Post

Asia News Network

Published Date: December 12, 2024