(Phnom Penh): A 20,000-tonne shipment of Cambodian rice worth more than USD 10 million is setting sail from Kampot Multipurpose Port for four ports in the Philippines, using a new direct sea route that cuts transit time from around 21 days to just five to seven days.
Over five days, from 1–5 October, tens of thousands of bags of Cambodian rice are being loaded onto vessels bound for Subic, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and Bataan. The shipment is being handled by Cambodian rice exporter Signature Rice, as it scales up supply to the fast-growing Philippine market.
“The Philippines is a large rice market, and we see far greater opportunities for Cambodian rice than what we are exporting today,” said Chan Pich, Managing Director of Signature Rice. “What we are building is a supply route that allows us to ship larger volumes regularly and competitively, so Cambodian rice can capture a greater share of this market.”
The 20,000 tonnes, however, represents only one-third of the company’s plan for the final quarter of 2026. Signature Rice is targeting 60,000 tonnes of exports to the Philippines by the end of this year, with another 40,000 tonnes planned for November and December. In 2027, the company aims to increase shipments to the market to around 100,000 tonnes.
The expansion comes as the Philippines is buying increasing volumes of Cambodian rice. Data from the Cambodia Rice Federation show that Cambodian rice exports to the Philippines rose from just 1,620 tonnes in January to 35,450 tonnes in September. During the first nine months of 2026, the Philippines purchased 157,552 tonnes of Cambodian rice, nearly matching Viet Nam’s 159,946 tonnes over the same period.
Chan Pich sees the Philippines as a market where Cambodia should focus on establishing regular, long-term supply, allowing Cambodian rice to secure a larger share of the country’s import demand.
Behind its export expansion, Signature Rice has built an integrated supply chain stretching from farm to port. The company works with farmers, agricultural cooperatives and farmer groups through contract farming arrangements in Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom, Battambang, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey and other provinces. This allows it to manage paddy sourcing, supply volumes, quality and traceability across its operations.
Signature Rice has been exporting Cambodian rice since 2009 and currently serves 36 markets across four continents. It is part of The Heritage Group, which focuses on green business development and reducing waste through Zero Waste principles across the rice value chain.
Signature Rice’s rice mill has also received EDGE certification as the first green-certified rice mill in Cambodia and Asia, reinforcing the company’s focus on more sustainable rice production and processing.
The company’s export volume has also been growing. According to Cambodia Rice Federation data, Signature Rice exported 43,540 tonnes during the first nine months of 2026, ranking fifth among Cambodia’s rice exporters.
The expansion into the Philippine market follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation between Cambodia and the Philippines in Manila in February 2025, which laid the groundwork for broader agricultural trade and cooperation between the two countries.
=FRESH NEWS
