Cambodia Advances Cashew Special Economic Zone to Boost Value‑Added Processing

PHNOM PENH, June 25, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia is moving forward with plans to establish a specialised cashew Special Economic Zone in Kampong Thom Province as part of efforts to strengthen domestic processing, attract investment and increase the value of one of its fastest‑growing agricultural exports, officials said Thursday.

The Cambodian Investment Board under the Council for the Development of Cambodia reviewed a proposal from Kampong Thom Cashew Industrial Park earlier this week. The project is envisioned as a model industrial zone dedicated to cashew processing and is expected to play a key role in drawing investment into value‑added production.

Uon Silot, president of the Cashew Nut Association of Cambodia, said the park would create greater value for farmers while generating jobs in rural communities, including for Cambodian workers returning from Thailand. Kampong Thom is the country’s largest cashew‑producing province, with more than 150,000 hectares under cultivation, accounting for about 30 percent of the national harvest.

Beyond kernel processing, the zone is expected to promote the use of by‑products such as cashew shells and apples for industrial applications, further boosting value and reducing waste.

According to association data, Cambodia exported more than 830,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts to Vietnam in the first four months of 2026, earning about $1.44 billion — a 24 percent increase from the same period last year.