The Philippines increased direct purchases of Cambodian milled rice to 122,102 tonnes in January-August, shifting a regional supply route, according to USDA figures cited by VnExpress International.
VnExpress identified the Philippines as the world’s largest rice importer. It also said the country ranked first among Cambodia’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) destinations for milled rice in 2026. USDA figures carried in the report show Cambodian shipments to the Philippines totaled 3,500 tonnes for all of 2025. The rise reflects a sharp change in the markets served by Cambodian rice exporters.
Cambodian suppliers have contracted to send a further 87,344 tonnes to the Philippine market. If those shipments are completed, exports there would total about 209,000 tonnes this year, the report said. The projection depends on fulfilling the contracts.
The growth coincides with less paddy moving through Vietnam. USDA figures cited by VnExpress show Cambodia’s paddy exports to Vietnam fell 13% over January-April 2026. Vietnamese processors have traditionally purchased Cambodian paddy, processed it in Vietnam and then shipped the rice to destinations such as the Philippines. With more direct imports of milled rice, Cambodia carries out more of the processing before export.
That shift can leave Cambodian millers with a larger share of the value created by processing, VnExpress reported. The outlet separately attributed a logistics advantage to USDA: larger consignments can lower transportation costs per tonne and shorten delivery times compared with container shipments. The route affects both where the rice is milled and how it is shipped.
VnExpress linked the growth to larger Philippine import allocations and state-backed credit programs. USDA’s assessment, as relayed in the article, was that further growth will depend largely on Cambodian suppliers keeping prices competitive. The additional contracted supply is scheduled for delivery from September through December.
