The Rice Industry in Cambodia: Production, Marketing Systems, and Impediments to Improvements

Rice is not only the staple food crop in Cambodia , but its production and marketing play a major activity in the Cambo­dian economy. This paper discusses the current status of the rice industry, rice marketing systems, and constraints that must be removed as Cambodia attempts to develop its rice industry. The rice market in Cambodia is characterized by a high degree of fragmentation and inefficiency. The costs associated with constraints and problems add to consumer costs, reduce farmer prices, and decrease incentives for trade. The strategic options for improving the rice industry include increasing production capacity and productivity, and improvements in post-harvest technology, trade policies, and marketing and chain management.