Khmer Times.

Ms. Khy Muny, general manager of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., confirmed that on January 15, the company took a truck to farmers’ fields to collect and purchase OM rice from farmers at a price of 880 riel per kilogramme, depending on location, because the farmers had left the ripe and wet rice in the fields for a long time, causing quality deterioration such as moulding and yellowing of the rice grains.

She stated that rice purchases at the rice field this time were made based on capital, drying kiln capacity, and warehouse for drying and storage only while waiting for the market to release later. However, rice exporter Amru Rice Cambodia plans on purchasing around 12,000 metric tonnes of rice for now.

The Cambodian Rice Federation reported that federation-member rice millers are purchasing OM rice in Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Chhnang, Battambang, Pursat, Takeo, and Prey Veng provinces, collecting wet rice for 760-830 riel per kilogram.

This year, OM rice varieties have faced a market crisis because Vietnamese traders have stopped buying, causing rice prices to drop.

Muny recalled that the OM rice variety imported from Vietnam was produced twice a year, with high yields and a high market in 2023 and 2024. At the same time, the Indian government, which has a 30 percent share of the international rice market, banned rice exports, giving Vietnam the opportunity to buy from Cambodia to resell to fill the Indian market. But in 2025, the Indian government suddenly opened up rice exports again, causing Vietnam to also stop buying from Cambodia.

According to Ms. Khy Muny, the price of OM rice during 2023 and 2024 was up to 1,300 riels per kilogram.

She stated that after purchasing OM rice, which is now in stock, rice exporter Amru Rice Cambodia will look for export markets to middle-income countries because the rice is cheaper and has a market for rice flour for making noodles, etc.

Published Date: January 16, 2025