Cambodia’s premium rice expands exports to EU
Cambodia’s premium rice expands exports to EU
Local rice producer Amru Rice (Cambodia) is ramping up exports of its premium and organic rice varieties to the European market, capitalizing on a growing demand for high-quality Cambodian rice.
The company, known for its focus on organic and sustainably produced rice, is targetting European consumers with its fragrant premium rice as Cambodia’s rice exports to EU continue to see a steady rise.
After being present in the EU market for years, Cambodian rice under the Amru Rice brand has now reached the top selling point in supermarkets in Finland, one of the Nordic countries, Song Saran, CEO of the Amru Rice (Cambodia) said on Thursday.
“Europe presents a significant opportunity for Cambodian rice,” Saran said.
“Consumers in the European countries especially in the Nordic countries appreciate the unique qualities of Cambodian rice, particularly its taste and aroma,” Saran told Khmer Times.
Amru Rice has invested heavily in infrastructure to meet the stringent food safety standards of the European Union. This includes state-of-the-art processing facilities and robust quality control measures.
This showcases the high quality of the Kingdom’s rice and millers to enter the European market, Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) said.
“This is a great step for Cambodian rice exported by Amru Rice to gain international standard recognition in the Finland market,” CRF wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Cambodia’s rice sector is working on the framework of climate resilience within the rice industry to get more competitiveness in the market, according to CRF.
Figures from the CRF showed that Cambodia exported 246,683 tonnes of milled rice to the EU last year, making the EU become the biggest market for Cambodia’s rice, followed by China and ASEAN countries with 212,756 tonnes and 93,376 tons, respectively.
Cambodia is committed to working closely with European partners to ensure a reliable supply of premium Cambodian rice, Saran said, citing that it will lead to a long-term presence in the European market.
The firm has also planned to expand exports of premium rice into the US, in response to high demand from the residents of Long Beach, California.
The company plans to export a total of 45,000 tonnes in 2024, 30 percent organic rice and 70 percent premium rice. During January-April 2024, the firm exported some 15,000 tonnes of milled rice, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the same period of 2023.
