Cambodia Sees Strategic Opportunity in Rising Global Rice Demand, ARDB Chief Says

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Aug. 28, 2025) — Cambodia must scale up its rice production, processing and export capacity to meet rising regional and global demand, said Kao Thach, CEO of the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB), during the fifth general assembly of the Cambodia Rice Federation.

Kao emphasized that rice contributes added value across multiple sectors, including agro-processing, animal feed and bioenergy. He cited examples such as broken rice used for noodles, rice husks for feed, and rice straw for organic fertilizer and ethanol.

He noted that advanced economies like India, China, Japan and Indonesia have begun refining rice into cooking oil and skincare products, underscoring the crop’s versatility and commercial potential.

Global rice consumption is projected to rise from 529 million tons in 2023–2024 to 549 million tons by 2025–2026, according to FAO’s 2025 Food Outlook. Asia accounts for 80% of global demand, led by China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Kao called for Cambodia to strengthen its rice value chain, adopt agri-tech innovations, and align with ESG principles and sustainable agriculture practices to remain competitive. He also highlighted the need to target premium markets and diversify rice-based products.

In 2024, Asia contributed 79.9% of global rice export value, totaling $31.2 billion. India led with 30.3%, followed by Thailand (16.3%), Pakistan (10.7%), Vietnam (14.2%) and Cambodia (4.8%), according to Straits Research.