PHNOM PENH: Cambodia exported a total of 379,546 tonnes of milled rice in the first seven months of this year, up 4.6 percent from 362,708 tonnes in the same period last year, a report from the Cambodia Rice Federation showed on Monday.

The rice export earned US$280 million, inching up from US$253 million recorded in the January-July period in 2023, read the report.

China was Cambodia’s largest rice importer as it purchased 77,204 tonnes of milled rice worth US$48 million during the period.

Additionally, the Kingdom shipped 186,377 tonnes of milled rice worth US$144 million to 26 countries in the European bloc, 77,933 tonnes worth US$53 million to seven countries in the ASEAN region including Timor-Leste, and 38,032 tonnes worth US$33 million to other destinations, the source said.

Exported milled rice varieties included fragrant rice, long grain white rice, parboiled rice and organic rice, the report stated, adding that fragrant rice accounted for 70.5 percent of the total rice export.

Cambodia also exported 2,711,179 tonnes of paddy rice worth US$784 million to neighbouring countries during the said period.