Prime Minister Hun Manet met with Paul Serra, CEO of SunRice Group in Melbourne, Australia on March 4. STPM
The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) announced that SunRice Group, a prominent food importer in Australia, plans to conduct a study tour in the Kingdom, aiming to explore the expansion of fragrant and organic milled rice exports down under and to other markets.
Song Saran, CRF president and CEO of Amru Rice (Cambodia), met with SunRice Group CEO Paul Serra following the latter’s meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, Australia, on March 4.
“During our [March 5] discussion, we explored the potential of the Cambodian rice sector. We extended an invitation to him to visit the Kingdom to discuss export possibilities, particularly in organic milled rice. The CEO expressed his intention to visit soon for more detailed discussions,” Saran stated.
“In our meeting, he expressed interest in importing fragrant and organic milled rice from Cambodia. He mentioned plans to initially import around 200 tonnes of organic rice as a trial. This opens up potential collaborations with multiple companies, particularly in expanding his company's existing exports and potentially investing [in milling operations] in the Kingdom,” he added.
During Serra’s meeting with Manet on March 4, he briefed the prime minister on the group’s activities, highlighting that it is the first Australian firm to import rice from Cambodia to Australia and New Zealand.
Serra noted that Cambodia possesses significant agricultural potential, noting the global recognition of its rice. He also cited the Kingdom's competitive young labour force, stable electricity costs, and improved transport infrastructure and logistics systems.
“Considering these potentials, our company intends to strengthen and expand our agricultural relations with Cambodia, focusing on the rice processing industry. We aim to invest in setting up rice processing plants, especially for organic rice destined for export,” Serra said.
Manet welcomed the group's initiative to increase investment and reaffirmed the government's high prioritisation of agriculture.
“The government is deploying agricultural experts across local communes nationwide to boost technical support for farmers, enhancing the productivity of local agricultural products,” stated the premier.
He also discussed the government's focus on expanding transport infrastructure, logistics systems and policies for developing the energy sector.
Manet emphasised that his government is prioritising clean and renewable power to foster more competitive and efficient business and trade activities, as well as to reduce transportation costs.
He also encouraged the company to consider visiting Cambodia to explore further investment opportunities through discussions with relevant ministries and institutions.
According to the CRF – the Kingdom's apex rice industry body – Cambodia exported 656,323 tonnes of milled rice in 2023. This marked a 3% increase from 2022 and generated revenue of $466 million, a 13% rise from the previous year.
Cambodian milled rice was exported to 61 destinations by 63 exporters last year: Mainland China and Hong Kong (212,756 tonnes, valued at $138 million); Europe, across 26 countries (264,683 tonnes, $191 million); ASEAN members (93,376 tonnes, $62 million); Africa and the Middle East, across 26 countries (85,508 tonnes, $76 million).
Besides milled rice, the Kingdom exported 4,387,363 tonnes of unmilled rice in 2023, valued at approximately $1.32 billion. Of this, 64% was certified by the relevant authorities. Paddy exports witnessed an increase of around 26.5%, with their value rising by approximately 56.69% compared to 2022, as per the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE).
