The fragrant Phka Rumduol on display at an exhibition. FN
Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co Ltd is gearing up to introduce its premium Phka Rumduol milled rice to Cambodian and Asian communities residing in Long Beach, in the US state of California, in December.
Amru Rice CEO Song Saran told The Post on October 16 that his company, in collaboration with the Cambodian Consulate General in Long Beach, will expand the availability of fragrant milled rice to urban centres with substantial Asian populations.
In the past, Amru Rice primarily exported organic milled rice to US-based companies for retail distribution. However, the company is now venturing into the Long Beach market with its Phka Rumduol luxury milled rice, targeting not only Cambodians but also the broader Asian community.
“In fact, the US is not a new market for our rice; we are merely introducing new products tailored for Cambodian and Asian consumers residing in the US,” he said.
“Our company currently exports approximately 2,000 tonnes of organic milled rice to the US annually, primarily targeting American distributors. The Phka Rumduol milled rice serves as our luxury offering, catering especially to Asians” he added.
As the demand for Cambodian fragrant rice continues to grow, the company has plans to expand its distribution to other US cities in the coming year.
“We also intend to extend our sales to other states, given the strong support from our consumers,” he added.
In early October, the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) – the Kingdom’s apex rice industry body – led eight prominent rice millers and exporters to participate in an exhibition in Cologne, Germany, with the aim of further enhancing exports to the EU.
According to CRF’s report, during the first nine months of 2023, Cambodia exported a total of 456,581 tons of milled rice, facilitated by 55 rice exporters and destined for 57 global markets, which amounted to $327.45 million in revenue.
Breaking down the export figures, 155,366 tonnes were shipped to mainland China and Hong Kong, with a combined value of $99.65 million. 190,788 tonnes were exported to 26 EU countries, resulting in earnings of $138.98 million. Exports to five ASEAN member countries amounted to 45,306 tonnes, valued at $31.32 million, while 66,331 tonnes were shipped to 24 Middle Eastern countries, netting $57.49 million.
In terms of milled rice varieties, “fragrant” rice dominated with an 82.43% share, followed by “white” at 12.26%, “parboiled” at 3.33%, “organic” at 1.77% and short-grain white rice at 0.02%.
In the first nine months of 2023, Cambodia exported 3,077,415 tonnes of paddy unmilled rice, generating approximately $862.39 million in revenue. Over 59% of these exports were officially processed and documented by the competent authorities.
