Cambodia Accelerates Cashew Industrial Park to Become Regional Processing Hub

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 12, 2025) — The Royal Government of Cambodia is intensifying efforts to establish the country’s first Cashew Industrial Park in Kampong Thom, a move aimed at transforming Cambodia from a raw cashew exporter into a regional processing hub by 2027.

The initiative was highlighted during a Dec. 8 workshop in Phnom Penh, where the Ministry of Commerce conducted a mid-term review of the National Cashew Policy 2022–2027. Officials said rapid global shifts — from Industry 4.0 to supply chain changes and climate challenges — make it essential for Cambodia to upgrade its cashew value chain and secure long-term competitiveness.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to expanding domestic processing, improving farmer incomes and increasing export value. Central to the strategy is the Cashew Industrial Park, which will house processing factories, storage facilities, laboratories and cashew by-product manufacturing.

Authorities are studying reduced electricity tariffs for agro-industrial processors operating within the park, an incentive designed to lower production costs and encourage private-sector investment. The park will also integrate a one-stop service mechanism, modeled after Special Economic Zones, to simplify export procedures and reduce administrative costs.

Qualified Investment Projects will be approved for cashew processing factories both inside the park and in other provinces. Officials are also considering additional incentive packages tailored to the cashew sector to ensure Cambodian SMEs benefit from the new industrial ecosystem.

“Having a dedicated cashew industrial zone makes everything easier. Within one park, we can process, innovate and expand into new cashew-based products,” said Soeun Sothnita, co-founder of the Steung Treng Cashew Processing Enterprise.

Oun Silot, president of the Cashew Association of Cambodia, said the mid-term review shows clear government determination to build a regional cashew-processing hub. He said strengthening the value chain will improve farmer incomes and expand export opportunities.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia earned more than USD 807 million from cashew exports in the first 10 months of 2025, a 60.93% increase from the same period in 2024. Officials said the growth highlights the industry’s strong potential and reinforces the case for accelerating domestic processing capacity.