Cambodia's Cassava Exports Earn $489M Amid Price Recovery and Shift to Dried Products

PHNOM PENH, Sept 15, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia earned US$489 million from cassava exports in the first eight months of 2026, official data showed Tuesday, as recovering market prices and a shift toward higher‑value dried products sustained the sector despite a sharp drop in cultivation. Export earnings slipped 1.86 percent year‑on‑year, but farmers have increasingly turned to dried cassava, which offers stronger returns than fresh roots. El Chhinh, president of the Khmer Farmer Cassava Association, said the area under cultivation had fallen about 30 percent this year, citing weak prices in 2024–2025 and shortages of planting materials. “Market conditions have improved,” he said, noting fresh cassava prices have rebounded to between 390 and 480 riel per kilogram. The recovery has been driven by stronger global demand and the cyclical nature of cassava prices, which typically fluctuate every four to 10 years, according to the association. Farmers are responding by shifting toward dried chips, which can fetch more than 600 riel per kilogram, helping offset reduced planting. Vietnam and China remain Cambodia’s main export markets, while part of domestic output is consumed locally. Officials said the move toward dried products reflects efforts to boost processing and improve quality in line with international demand, creating greater value from the crop rather than relying on fresh‑root exports. In 2025, cassava exports brought in US$646 million, down 14.48 percent from 2024. Export volumes also showed a marked shift toward processed products: fresh cassava shipments fell nearly 10 percent to 3.1 million tonnes, while dried chip exports surged more than 62 percent to 1.56 million tonnes. The government has been working to expand international markets for Cambodian cassava, with initiatives aimed at strengthening processing, improving quality and enhancing competitiveness in the global supply chain.