Cambodia exported over 100,000 tons of natural rubber during the first five months of 2022, marking a 3% increase year-on-year, according to the country’s General Directorate of Rubber. From January to May, exports reached 105,048 tons of latex and 13,026 cubic meters of commercial rubberwood.
The total export value stood at USD 168.47 million for latex and USD 1.81 million for rubberwood.
“Cambodia’s rubber market is heavily dependent on international demand. Nearly 100% of export turnover has been affected — primarily due to global inflation concerns, rising interest rates in the U.S., currency depreciation in major rubber-exporting countries, and China’s continued lockdowns,” said Him Aun, Director General of the General Directorate of Rubber.
Investment in Tire Manufacturing to Stabilize the Market
Mr. Him Aun also noted that the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has recently approved several tire manufacturing and rubber-processing projects, which are expected to create stable demand for local rubber and support long-term price stability.
According to Chea Sakhin, President of the Memot Smallholder Rubber Agricultural Cooperative, latex production has increased due to favorable weather, but prices have dropped in recent months as supply outpaced demand.
He explained that early-season harvests tend to fetch higher prices due to limited supply, while peak-season production pushes prices down slightly. In May 2022, the average rubber price was USD 1,600 per ton, down USD 43 from April and USD 100 compared to the same period last year.
Expanding Rubber Plantations
As of mid-2022, Cambodia had 404,044 hectares dedicated to rubber cultivation, with 310,193 hectares actively tapped— a 6% increase year-on-year.
The expansion of rubber plantations, combined with new tire and rubber-processing projects, signals strong medium-term growth potential for Cambodia’s rubber sector, though short-term price volatility remains a concern due to global economic uncertainty.