{"id":28082,"date":"2026-05-25T22:47:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T19:17:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/?p=28082"},"modified":"2026-05-25T22:47:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T19:17:47","slug":"middle-east-tensions-squeeze-cambodian-rice-farmers-raise-food-security-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/?p=28082&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Middle East Tensions Squeeze Cambodian Rice Farmers, Raise Food Security Fears"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thmar Koul, Battambang<\/strong> \u2013 As tractors rumbled down dirt roads and past fallow rice fields in Cambodia\u2019s Battambang province, farmers embarked on yet another planting season in the nation’s vital \u201crice bowl.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the mood during preparations for this year\u2019s dry season harvest is distinctly uneasy.<\/p>\n

Farmers report that soaring fuel and fertilizer costs, directly linked to the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran, are severely squeezing their already thin profit margins. Despite a fragile ceasefire, disruptions to crucial supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz and damage to Gulf gas infrastructure have either slowed significantly or completely halted exports of fuel and urea, a vital fertilizer component.<\/p>\n

This shockwave has rippled across Asia, profoundly impacting agricultural communities in Cambodia, which are heavily reliant on imported fertilizer and fuel.<\/p>\n

Ou Puy, a 74-year-old farmer from Brakieb village in Battambang province, expressed his exhaustion after a day spent plowing and seeding nearly 60 hectares (148 acres) of rice land.<\/p>\n

He noted that every cost associated with cultivating his land has escalated significantly compared to a year ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year, I have reduced the cultivation of dry season rice due to production costs, as diesel and fertilizer have become exceedingly expensive,\u201d Puy stated. \u201cThe prices of fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides are simply not commensurate with the low price of rice paddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

On May 19, the Commerce Ministry announced that regular gasoline prices were capped at 5,400 riel ($1.34) per liter, marking a nearly 5% increase from the previous week. Diesel prices similarly climbed to 5,450 riel ($1.36) per liter, also rising by approximately 5%.<\/p>\n

Cambodia imports the majority of its fuel and fertilizer. Government data for last year revealed that the country imported approximately $420 million worth of fertilizer and nearly $218 million worth of pesticides, with fertilizer imports alone increasing by about $26 million from the previous year.<\/p>\n

In January of this year alone, fuel imports amounted to nearly $220 million.<\/p>\n

Puy highlighted that the fertilizer he purchases from private vendors importing from Vietnam now costs as much as $42 for a 50-kilogram (110-pound) sack, nearly doubling the price from the same period last year.<\/p>\n

With each hectare requiring five to six sacks, fertilizer costs alone could exceed $15,000 for his entire plot, which he rents for $180 per hectare.<\/p>\n

To mitigate anticipated losses, Puy explained that he has converted half of his land to rainy-season jasmine rice, a higher-value variety cultivated for export markets that demands less fertilizer but more water. However, unlike dry-season rice, this crop will not be ready for harvest until November, effectively halving the output he had projected for the coming months.<\/p>\n

Yet, rising fuel and fertilizer costs are not the sole pressures burdening rice farmers in Battambang and throughout Cambodia, a nation where over half of all households are engaged in agriculture.<\/p>\n

Over the past year, farmers have also contended with declining domestic rice prices and have repeatedly appealed for government intervention and market support.<\/p>\n

As some growers scale back cultivation due to escalating costs, traders and farmers alike warn that supply shortages and further price volatility are becoming increasingly probable.<\/p>\n

Last year, rice prices in Cambodia averaged around 800 riel ($0.20) per kilogram. Puy believes a fair price would fall between 900 riel and 1,000 riel ($0.22-$0.25) per kilogram.<\/p>\n

The government has stated its commitment to monitoring the impact of higher energy costs on farmers, aiming to prevent irregular price increases, and has directed local agriculture departments to report any supply concerns.<\/p>\n

Khim Finan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication.<\/p>\n

Cambodia currently lacks a national fertilizer reserve and, following border clashes last year, ceased imports from Thailand, which was formerly its largest supplier of chemical fertilizer.<\/p>\n

In March, Keo Rottanak, Minister of Mines and Energy, stated that the country possessed enough gasoline reserves to last approximately 21 days. The extent of Cambodia\u2019s diesel reserves, however, remains undisclosed.<\/p>\n

Ban Chenda, another farmer from Brakieb village, revealed she has stored 90 liters of diesel as a safeguard against potential further price increases.<\/p>\n

She typically cultivates eight hectares (20 acres) of dry-season rice, utilizing approximately 200 liters of diesel throughout the growing process.<\/p>\n

Chenda expressed uncertainty about recovering her costs after harvest, citing volatile rice prices and the escalating expenses of fuel and fertilizer.<\/p>\n

Buon Narin, another rice farmer in Battambang, intends to adopt Puy\u2019s strategy on his smaller 10-hectare (25-acre) plot by planting jasmine rice varieties, which have a later harvest period.<\/p>\n

When asked if they planned to seek day labor jobs \u2013 a common fallback for struggling Cambodian farmers \u2013 to supplement their income this season, both Chenda and Puy conceded they saw little alternative.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, fertilizer traders reported that while prices remain elevated, imports from Vietnam have successfully replaced supplies previously sourced from Thailand, thus maintaining stable stocks for the time being.<\/p>\n

In Soth, a foreman at a fertilizer warehouse in Battambang\u2019s Thmar Koul district, recalled that prices first spiked briefly after border tensions with Thailand erupted last summer.<\/p>\n

He added that disruptions to fuel and fertilizer supply chains, exacerbated by Middle East tensions, had applied further pressure, but imports from Vietnam had, to date, kept supply in Battambang stable.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, he harbors concerns that rice yields could decline this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen fertilizer becomes expensive, farmers ultimately reduce their fertilizer usage,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Another vendor, Suon Sopheap, expressed her reluctance to import more fertilizer, citing high prices and her concern that it might not sell quickly. She anticipates demand will rebound in August.<\/p>\n

To alleviate the burden of fuel and fertilizer costs, You Soeum, chief of Reoung Chrey commune \u2013 home to Puy\u2019s farmland and thousands of other farming households \u2013 encouraged farmers to join \u201cmodern agricultural communities.\u201d This government-promoted system aims to transition smallholder farmers towards more organized production with shared management.<\/p>\n

He reported that approximately 1,000 households in the commune had already joined the system, which facilitates farmers’ access to diesel at lower prices than those offered by private sellers, thereby reducing overall farming costs.<\/p>\n

However, the scheme has attracted criticism. Some research indicates mixed results, showing improved incomes for certain farmers but continued exposure to volatile input and rice prices, persistent debt burdens, and environmental pressure linked to increased chemical use.<\/p>\n

A 2022 report from Cambodia\u2019s Agriculture Ministry reportedly stated that the effectiveness of agricultural cooperatives had been limited, with only 17.5% deemed \u201cperforming well.\u201d<\/p>\n

With uncertainty looming not only for Cambodian farmers but also for global energy markets amidst what the head of the International Energy Agency has termed the world\u2019s largest energy crisis, local economists are increasingly directing their focus towards food supply.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we should consider is food security, which is of paramount importance,\u201d stated Hong Vannak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia. \u201cI believe the government possesses sound agricultural policies concerning rice, cassava, and other crops, but their implementation remains limited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vannak advocated for increased investment in agriculture and the expansion of cooperative farming systems in Cambodia. He also urged the government to explore developing domestic fertilizer production.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe the government should consider producing fertilizer domestically and reduce the reliance on imported chemical fertilizers and pesticides by promoting products made in Cambodia, thereby ensuring food security and stable prices,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

Puy, meanwhile, lamented that he sees few viable options.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a choice. There are no other jobs besides rice farming,\u201d he said. \u201cNo matter the difficulties, losses, or profits, we still have to keep farming.\u201d<\/p>\n

#CambodiaAgriculture #RiceFarmers #FoodSecurity #MiddleEastTensions #FuelPrices #FertilizerCosts #SupplyChain #Battambang #AgriculturalCrisis #EconomicImpact<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thmar Koul, Battambang \u2013 As tractors rumbled down dirt roads and past fallow rice fields in Cambodia\u2019s Battambang province, farmers embarked on yet another planting season in the nation’s vital \u201crice bowl.\u201d However, the mood during preparations for this year\u2019s dry season harvest is distinctly uneasy. Farmers report that soaring fuel and fertilizer costs, directly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}