Cambodia Narrows Export Focus, Seeks US Buyer Commitments Over Broad Market Access

PHNOM PENH, Sept 11, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia is narrowing its export strategy to concentrate on a smaller group of manufacturers capable of meeting the scale and standards demanded by U.S. buyers, shifting away from broad‑based market access, the industry minister said Thursday. Hem Vandy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, made the remarks during talks with a delegation from the American Cambodian Business Chamber (ACBC), led by founder and president Chan Sokveasna. “We should not cast the net too wide. We need to select capable enterprises and products with potential, and then work together to help them meet the requirements of the U.S. market,” Vandy was quoted as saying. He said Cambodia had opportunities to expand exports beyond garments, citing furniture and agro‑processing as sectors with growth potential. Some products were already export‑ready, but many producers struggled to reach the production scale required by large American buyers, while smaller enterprises often lacked the technical, packaging and certification capacity needed to enter the U.S. market. Vandy urged ACBC to act as a bridge by identifying buyers, aggregating demand and providing clearer information on specifications, standards and order volumes. He said firm commitments from buyers would give Cambodian manufacturers the confidence to expand production capacity. ACBC pledged to work with the ministry to help enterprises understand U.S. market‑entry requirements through technical briefings, workshops and engagement with relevant agencies and experts. Both sides also discussed longer‑term cooperation on food safety, packaging, standards and certification, as well as technology transfer and industrial modernization. Officials stressed the need to strengthen domestic value addition and the competitiveness of Cambodian small and medium enterprises. The meeting followed a series of engagements this month between Cambodian officials and American business representatives, including visits to the Chamber of Commerce of Cambodia and Prime Minister Hun Manet, as Cambodia works to deepen commercial ties with Washington. The push for buyer‑driven U.S. market access comes as Cambodia prepares for graduation from Least Developed Country status in 2029, when it will lose preferential trade treatment that has underpinned export growth in garments and footwear.