Vietnamese Firms Sign Deal to Buy Over 3 Million Tons of Cambodian Cassava

By Leng Deth

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Oct. 24, 2025) — Four Vietnamese companies have signed a purchase agreement to buy more than 3 million tons of Cambodian cassava annually, with plans to scale up to 9 million tons, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The signing ceremony took place Oct. 23 in Phnom Penh, witnessed by Commerce Minister Cham Nimmol and representatives from Cambodian and Vietnamese cassava trading firms. The event also included a memorandum of understanding between the Cambodia Cassava Federation and the Vietnam Cassava Association to strengthen production, processing, and cross-border trade.

“This agreement boosts public confidence,” said El Chhin, president of the Cambodian Cassava Farmers Association. “The actual volume traded may exceed 3 million tons, but the contract provides clarity.”

Ngin Chhay, director general of the General Directorate of Agriculture, said fresh cassava exports declined in the first nine months of 2025 as farmers shifted to dried and powdered forms, which offer longer shelf life and higher value.

Current market prices range from 250 to 280 riel per kilogram for fresh cassava, with northern regions averaging 220 riel. Dried cassava fetches between 500 and 700 riel per kilogram.

Cambodia earned $513 million from cassava exports during the period, down 12.41% from 2024. Total exports reached 3.4 million tons, including 2.05 million tons of fresh cassava and 1.35 million tons of dried, up 57.62%.