Filipinos will have greater access to imported rice from Cambodia this year as shipments from the Southeast Asian country are expected to surge more than 50-fold, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Citing estimates from the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), the USDA said rice exports to the Philippines are on track to balloon to 200,000 metric tons (MT) by the end of the year, compared to just 3,510 MT in 2025.

Under this projection, the Philippines would account for around 20 percent of Cambodia’s total rice exports this year, which are estimated to surpass one million MT.

The CRF attributed the increase in shipments to the Philippines’ expanded import allocation and the price-to-quality advantage of Cambodian milled rice.

In particular, the USDA noted robust Philippine demand for commodity-grade, long-grain white rice, for which Cambodian pricing is more competitive than that of other sourcing countries.

The Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) stated in a report that the Philippines managed to secure better deals with Cambodia following an agricultural agreement signed in September 2025. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel mentioned last year that he remains open to importing more agricultural commodities from Cambodia to help meet the country’s growing demand.

Meanwhile, Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Dith Tina said he is particularly upbeat about the growth prospects of premium aromatic rice, which is seeing strong demand in Manila and other urban areas.

However, according to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), rice imports from Cambodia reached only 60,860 MT as of June 11—around 70 percent short of the full-year target. Cambodian rice accounted for a mere 2.51 percent of the country’s total imports, as Vietnam continues to dominate the market with shipments representing nearly 85 percent. BPI data shows that imports from Vietnam have already reached 2.06 million MT, which is just over a quarter below its total volume of 2.76 million MT last year.

Overall, the Philippines' total rice imports rose by 20 percent to 2.31 million MT in the first five months of the year, compared to 1.93 million MT during the same period last year.

The CPBRD, the think tank of the House of Representatives, noted that a projected decline in domestic rice production is driving this expansion of imports. Triggered by rising input costs and the looming threat of an extreme El Niño, local rice output is expected to fall to 18.6 million MT this year, down from an initial record target of 20.28 million MT.