AKP Phnom Penh, August 23, 2026 --

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice H.E. Koeut Rith and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Wang Wenbin visited Battambang province on Saturday to explore its economic and investment potential, including opportunities to expand agro-processing and value-added manufacturing.

They were joined by H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation; H.E. Thor Chetha, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology; along with Battambang Governor and relevant officials.

Provincial officials briefed the delegation on Battambang’s economic strengths, infrastructure and investment opportunities. Agriculture accounts for 62.32 percent of the provincial economy, while the province recorded more than 1.67 million tonnes of surplus paddy in 2025, providing a strong resource base for further development of agro-processing industries. Battambang has 628 factories, SMEs and handicraft establishments, including 184 registered rice mills.

The delegation visited City Rice, where they observed rice milling and processing operations and learned about the company’s role in connecting Cambodian farmers and rice production with international markets. City Rice was formally established in 2012 with a focus on strengthening Cambodia’s rice value chain and has contributed to the international recognition of Cambodian rice.

They also toured Misota Food, a Cambodian food-processing company that transforms locally sourced fruits into higher-value food products. The company is working to modernise production, increase productivity and expand capacity in response to market demand.

The visit highlighted opportunities to leverage Battambang’s agricultural base to attract investment, strengthen links between farmers and industry, expand local processing and increase the value and competitiveness of Cambodian products in domestic and international markets.

AKP-MISTI