Agricultural Categories & Top Products
In Cambodia’s land of opportunity, the agrifood sector is thriving.
Over recent decades, Cambodia has positioned itself as a high-growth economy, attracting investors from around the globe. In particular, the agricultural sector has recorded sensational results, with increases of up to 6500% in export volume (dried fruit), and increases of up to 160% in production volume (mango) between 2017 and 2022.
Since 2017, Cambodia has emerged as a top producer of high value and growth commodities, such as mango, banana, cashew, sweet potato, sesame, chillies and many others, alongside development of unique varieties such as the world-famous Kampot Pepper. The growth has been fuelled by world-class farming practices, a young workforce, new processing technologies, alongside rapid growth in demand from markets to which Cambodia has privileged access through a network of free trade agreements. The growth in Foreign Direct Investment into the agrifood sector in Cambodia reflects this – with registered foreign investments of USD 500m in 2018, doubling its FDI from 2017.
With 37% of the Cambodian workforce directly engaged in the agricultural sector, it is a key driver of the nation’s economy. In addition, the country’s fertile soils, favorable climate, and unique terrain make up the backbone of high-quality products and foster their international demand. These environmentally favorable conditions, paired with investments in technology and a regulatory regime that strongly supports agrifood investments, have placed Cambodia high on the agenda of agrifood businesses seeking to expand their production base and access to consumer markets of ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region.”
If you are interested in investing in Cambodia’s agriculture and food production industry, you have come to the right place.
This website is brought to you by the AgriFood Investment Desk (AFID), a one-stop service to support your expansion into the Cambodian agrifood sector. The AFID is a joint venture between the Council for Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Ministry of Agriculture.This website showcases top-performing agrifood sectors in Cambodia, and explains the simple procedures for expanding your business into Cambodia.
The AFID Team of agrifood investment experts is standing by to support your new venture in Cambodia agrifood.
Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, and Legumes
Cashew Nuts
As third largest Cashew- producer in ASEAN, Cambodia has the opportunity to meet the increasing global demand for organic and fair-trade cashew markets and service large export markets such as the EU and the US.
Pepper
Kampot pepper, the world’s best pepper is grown in Cambodia’s south. Investments into Cambodia’s pepper processing facilities bear the opportunity to take advantage of formal export markets and profiting from the product’s high margin.
Sweet Potato
With a global total market value of $42 billion in 2020 and projected global 1% YoY market growth in the upcoming years, investing in Cambodia’s sweet potato industry is a profitable choice. Largest importing nations of the nutricious root vegetable are Thailand, Norway, and the Netherlands.
Mango
Since 2017, Cambodia has increased its mango exports by 213%, ranking the country among ASEAN’s biggest exporters. Meeting the global demand of healthy snacking alternatives, dried mango products have been in particular high demand.
Banana
Banana exports have increased a whooping 2000% in only 5 years, duplicating numbers even in Covid-19 years.
Cassava
Cassava is an essential contributor to the agricultural sector in Cambodia. Grown in the western parts of the country, its yearly production ascends to an impressive 14,7 million tons
Longan
Grown in Cambodia’s Battambang and Pailin region, longan production covers 13ha, with the exotic fruit soon to be exported to China.
Grains
Rice
As ASEAN’s third biggest rice exporter, Cambodia services China, France, Gabon, Malaysia, and the Netherland with the valuable grain. Even through the pandemic, production as well as export numbers have remained steady.
Sesame
The global sesame market was valued at USD 6.67 Billion in 2019, expanding at a CAGR of 1.5% during the forecast period 2020-2027. Sesame is a key feature of Cambodia’s agricultural sector, with excellent prospects for supply into global markets.
Spices
Chili
Both chili production and export numbers show significant growth, servicing export markets like France and Canada.
Pepper
Kampot pepper, the world’s best pepper is grown in Cambodia’s south. Tap into this emerging world-renowned and high margin product for export success.
Dairy
Milk, Yoghurt
As a new industry in Cambodia, the dairy industry represents an attractive investment sector, meeting the growing regional demand for dairy products. Pioneering companies operating in the industry obtained a 15% market share within two years of establishment.
Processed Fruit
Dried Mango
The affordable price and quality of raw materials paired with the global demand increase for healthy snacks make the snacking industry a lucrative investment sector. Cambodia’s climatic conditions enable year-round harvests, leading to optimal results on the balance sheet.
Contact our Agrifood Investment Experts to discuss your next business opportunity