Cambodia, Vietnam Sign 6.7M-Ton Cassava Deal

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 5, 2025) — Cambodia has signed a major long-term export agreement with Vietnam, with 19 Vietnamese companies contracting to purchase 6.79 million tons of fresh cassava over the next five years. The deal provides a significant boost to Cambodia’s cassava sector as the industry moves toward higher-value processed products.

The contracts stem from a broader memorandum of understanding signed in October between the Cambodian Cassava Federation and the Vietnam Cassava Association, covering up to 9 million tons of cassava trade. The official signing ceremony took place in Tay Ninh province, Vietnam, witnessed by Reach Ra, secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, alongside Cambodian and Vietnamese business representatives.

Under the agreements, two Cambodian suppliers will deliver fresh cassava to 19 Vietnamese companies. El Chhinh, president of the Cassava Farmers Association, said the deal reinforces confidence among farmers, though cassava prices remain stable.

Despite the contract’s scale, Cambodia’s export composition is shifting. Ngin Chhay, director general of the General Directorate of Agriculture, noted that fresh cassava exports have declined as farmers increasingly produce dried cassava and cassava flour, which carry higher market value and longer storage capacity.

In the first 10 months of 2025, dried cassava exports rose 60.91% and cassava flour exports surged 82.59% compared with the same period in 2024. Total cassava export revenue, however, fell 11.31% year-on-year to USD 544 million due to market demand fluctuations and commodity price swings.

Earlier this week, a major Chinese state-owned enterprise announced plans to purchase one million tons of Cambodian dried cassava annually, a commitment expected to further strengthen the export market as farmers continue to face low prices and unstable demand.