PhnomPenhPost-Jan 29
The three largest exporters to Cambodia – mainland China, Vietnam and Thailand – accounted for 60.94 per cent of the Kingdom’s total merchandise imports last year, at $18.245 billion, which was up 11.99 per cent over 2021, according to the General Department of Customs and Excise. Cambodia’s total imports grew by 4.32 per cent on a yearly basis to $29.942 billion in 2022, with mainland China representing the lion’s share at $10.446 billion or 34.89 per cent, up 7.86 per cent year-on-year, followed by Vietnam ($3.967 billion; 13.25% share; up 26.20%) and Thailand ($3.833 billion; 12.80% share; up 10.66%). Rounding out the list of top 20 exporters to Cambodia for 2022 were: Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the US, India, Laos, Australia, the UK, Belgium, Botswana, Germany, Italy and France, according to the General Department of Customs. Of note, Cambodian imports from the southern African country of Botswana saw the largest year-on-year growth in 2022, at 393.6 per cent to $64.079 million, compared to $12.981 million in 2021. Although GDCE figures for individual commodities were not immediately available, data from online portal Trading Economics show that all official Cambodian imports from Botswana in 2021 were in the “pearls, precious stones, metals, coins” category, corresponding to Chapter 71 of the harmonized tariff schedule. Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) vice-president Lim Heng commented to The Post on January 29 that, as a developing country, the Kingdom requires relatively large volumes of imported raw materials to meet domestic demand as well as to process into export products. Heng predicted that the three markets would remain key suppliers of raw materials and other essential goods for the long-term, stating that Cambodia’s bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with China would increase two-way export flows going forward. Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/61-2022-imports-came-just-3-markets
