A GATEWAY FOR GLOBAL TRADE
CITY FOCUS | PHNOM PENH
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A GATEWAY FOR GLOBAL TRADE
Cambodia ’ s principal bulk exports are rice and cassava root , with 45 % of the country ’ s total labour force engaged in the agricultural sector , according to export . gov . In 2017 , Cambodian rice exports totalled 574,673 tons , compared to 387,061 tons three years previously . In 2018 , the Khmer Times reported an overall increase in Cambodian agricultural export commodities of 11 %. A large portion of the increase in large-scale commodity agriculture thanks to recent shifts in US trade relations . The Phnom Penh Post reports that Cambodian-US bilateral trade has been valued at $ 1.9bn so far in 2018 – marking a 23 % increase , year on year .
While the majority of Cambodian agricultural exports are large-scale commodities like rice , cassava ( both fresh and starch ) and corn , Phnom Penh is also experiencing a dramatic increase in demand for luxury foodstuffs from overseas . This increase in demand has been attributed partially to the strong growth in the Kampot pepper market , as the industry has experienced a strong resurgence in the past twenty years , following the fall of the Khmer Rouge .
NOVEMBER 2018