Cambodian international trade exceeded $57 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up more than 20 per cent from with the same period last year. The Kingdom recorded a trade deficit of nearly $3 billion, with imports outpacing exports.
Data released by the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE) late last week showed that the total value of goods traded between Cambodia and its international partners reached more than $57 billion from January to September 2026, up 21.3 per cent from $46.99 billion in the same period in 2025.
Based on these figures, Cambodia recorded a trade deficit of approximately $2.83 billion.
Cambodia spent about $27.09 billion on imports during the period, up 21 per cent from $22.28 billion a year earlier. Meanwhile, exports to international markets reached $29.92 billion, an increase of 21.6 per cent from $24.61 billion.
Cambodia’s major trading partners include China, the US, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, Spain, South Korea and Indonesia.
Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post on October 13 that growth in both exports and imports reflected the expansion in Cambodia’s trade activities with international markets.
Vanak noted Cambodia’s imports remained higher than its exports partly because the country continued to rely on substantial quantities of imported raw materials and components to meet the needs export goods production.
“Cambodia’s imports at present consist largely of raw materials, equipment and components for production lines. All of these play an important role in strengthening and expanding domestic production capacity and enhancing the export market for finished products,” he said.
According to Vanak, Cambodia’s major exports include garments, footwear, travel goods, vehicle tyres, spare parts, electrical components and furniture.
Major imports include fuel, raw materials for the textile sector, food products, beverages, medicines, vehicles, agricultural machinery, fertilisers and industrial machinery.
According to the GDCE, Cambodia’s total goods trade with international partners reached $65.25 billion in 2025, up 17.66 per cent from $55.45 billion in 2024.
Exports rose 16.95 per cent to $31.28 billion, while imports increased 18.32 per cent to $33.96 billion.