Cambodia reports decrease in latex exports due to domestic increase use

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – The Phnom Penh Post reports that according to data from Cambodia’s General Department of Rubber, the country’s earnings from latex products reached $536 million in 2023, including $490.6 million from latex exports, $1.6 million from rubber wood exports and $43.8 million from domestic rubber consumption.

Cambodia exported 368,048 tons of latex in 2023, a decrease of 4,855 tons from 2022’s figure, and 9,411 cubic meters of rubber timber, 17,078 less than the previous year. The country’s domestic latex use amounted to 30,452 tons.

Him Aun, head of the general rubber department, stated that there was a slight increase in harvested rubber in 2023 compared to 2022, but export volume decreased slightly due to rising demand from local tire manufacturers.

“Exports of latex in 2023 declined owing to the surge in domestic demand; the volume exceeded 30,000 tons. The consumption of latex in Cambodia in 2024 will undoubtedly surpass that of 2023,” he said.

Former Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed a desire for industrial plants in Cambodia to utilize local raw materials like rubber and cashew nuts during the inauguration of General Tires Technology (Cambodia)’s $300 million factory in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) on May 22, 2023.

He emphasized that local manufacturing not only creates job opportunities but also introduces modern technology, aligning with the government’s industrial policy.

According to the general rubber department, by the end of 2023, the country’s total rubber plantation area was 407,172ha, a 0.64% increase (2,594ha) from 2022. This included 226,840ha of agro-industrial rubber plantations and 180,332ha of family plantations.

Of this, 320,184ha were tapped for latex, equating to 78.6% of the total area, marking an increase of 4,852ha. The average annual yield rose to 1,228kg per hectare, up by 16kg from 2022.

For reference, the Kingdom’s latex and rubber wood exports generated over $531 million in 2022, comprised of $527.8 million from latex exports and more than $4 million from rubber wood.