After winning the World’s Best Rice Award for two years running at the World Rice Conference, Cambodia has been selected to host this year’s annual event.

The World Rice Conference is a networking event that brings together rice industry professionals from all over the world. Initiated by industry trade publication The Rice Trader, past events have been held in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

“Cambodia was chosen for its enthusiasm and efforts to develop export trade and raise its potential in high-quality rice markets, as well as for its excellent facilities in hosting the event,” said V. Subramanian, vice president of The Rice Trader.

The sixth World Rice Conference, to be held from 18th to 21st November this year, will increase the country’s reputation as one of the emerging growers and exporters in the world, said Sok Puthyvuth, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation.

“We expect all relevant stakeholders in rice industry from around the world to join this event. It will be a good chance to showcase Cambodia rice to the world,” he said.

Puthyvuth said the event will be held in Phnom Penh, but an exact location is still yet to be confirmed.

The three-day event, that covers the World Best Rice competition, the Cambodia Rice Festival and the Cambodia Rice Networking Forum, will be co-organized by The Rice Trader, the Cambodia Rice Federation, the International Finance Corporation and the Federation for Association of SMEs of Cambodia.

Kim Savuth, president of local rice exporter Khmer Food Co, who has attended the past two conferences, said that hosting the event shows that Cambodia’s is becoming a serious player in the rice industry.

“If our rice sector is not moving as fast as expected, no one would be interested to hold the rice event in Cambodia,” he said.

Savuth added that rice industry insiders are again working hard this for Cambodia to win the World Best Rice Award for the third year in a row.