U.S.-Cambodia agriculture at $220 million per year has huge potential

U.S.-Cambodia agriculture at $220 million per year has huge potential

Cambodia’s agriculture exports to the United States were $157 million in 2018, a new record. Most were wood products ($134 million), followed by pet food and rice.

U.S. exports of agricultural products to Cambodia meanwhile, were estimated a $62 million in 2018. Leading categories include soybean meal ($13 million), distillers grains ($12 million), prepared food ($6 million).

Agricultural exports – including rice, cassava, maize, pepper, fresh mango, and raw palm oil – reached 4.2 million tons in 2018.

The US Embassy in a release said that the U.S.-Cambodia agriculture trade is about $220 million per year and offers lots of potential for growth.

U.S. agriculture exports to Cambodia have grown by 422% between 2010-2018 and rice makes up half of Cambodia’s agricultural GDP.

Cambodia is one of the top 10 rice exporters in the world – exported 620,000 tons in 2019.

Only 70% of Cambodia’s vegetable and fruit demand is produced locally; the rest is imported, mainly from Thailand and Vietnam.

Programs including USAID’s Feed the Future Harvest II works to boost commercial production of horticulture products – including mango, cashew nuts, and pepper.

CAST (Commercial Agricultural for Sustainable Trade) is a USDA Food for Progress project designed to develop a lasting aquaculture industry in Cambodia to help meet the growing demand for animal and aquaculture-sourced protein.

The country’s aquaculture industry demand for soybean protein is projected to reach 100,000 metric tons per year by 2030.

Source: Khmer Times