Touch Bun Hour, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), led a team to inspect and evaluate the cashew harvest in Kampong Thom province, noting that the price of cashew nuts in 2025 is the highest within the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, thanks to favourable market conditions.
According to a press release issued by MAFF yesterday, the inspection took place on April 19-20. The Secretary of State led a ministry delegation to visit several modern cashew farming communities across Kampong Thom province.
During the visit, the team assessed multiple farming communities, including the Sala Visai Cashew Farming Community in Prasat Balang district, the Prasat Sambo Rong Roeung Modern Farming Community, and the Tamring Modern Farming Community in Sandan district. They also met with farmers actively harvesting cashew nuts and with local collectors throughout the province.
Touch Bun Hour stated that around 55 percent of the cashew harvest in these communities had been completed, with the remainder expected to finish by the end of May. Despite prolonged cold weather, the cashew nuts remained high in quality, averaging between 95 and 100 nuts per kilogram—an improvement over the usual 110 to 120 nuts per kilogram.
“This year, wet cashew nuts at the start of the season were priced as high as 6,500 riels per kilogram. Currently, prices range between 4,800 and 5,200 riels per kilogram, depending on the region and nut quality,” Bun Hour said.
“Compared to the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, this year’s price is the highest, driven by a strong market. Even during the Khmer New Year holiday, trading activities continued uninterrupted,” he added.
Touch Bun Hour also acknowledged challenges caused by unseasonal heavy rainfall, which damaged some cashew nuts and flowers, particularly from the M23 variety that was in its final growth stage.
In certain areas, excessive rainfall led to reduced yields, while in regions with less rain, yields may actually increase. He noted that this year’s harvest season may conclude later than in 2024 and that MAFF will continue to monitor the situation.
Earlier in April, Khim Finan, Undersecretary of State and MAFF Spokesman, said preliminary assessments suggest that the total cashew yield in 2025 could remain stable or even increase compared to 2024.
Finan confirmed that Cambodia can easily meet an annual demand of 3,000 tonnes of processed cashew nuts for a private company.
In 2024, Cambodia produced nearly 900,000 tonnes of fresh cashew nuts and exported over 30,000 tonnes of processed cashews.
Finan added that the country still has at least 50,000 tonnes of unused processing capacity, meaning the 3,000-tonne annual demand can be met without concern.
“Cashew processing capacity can be expanded at any time, provided there is a firm purchase contract, a favourable market price, and a 50 percent deposit,” he said.
It is worth noting that the three modern cashew farming communities include Sala Visai, with 88 members and 255 hectares of cultivation area, Rong Roeung, with 136 members and 586 hectares, and Tamring, with 76 members and 460 hectares of cashew plantations.
