Food in Cambodia

Cambodia has a complete food system covering farming, fishing, livestock, processing, trade, preparation and consumption. Rice is the main staple, and Cambodia produces enough rice for domestic needs while also exporting it. Fish is a major protein source, especially from the Tonle Sap, Mekong and marine fisheries. Pork, duck, chicken, maize, soybeans, mung beans, cassava, mangoes, pineapples, jackfruit, durian and bananas also contribute to the supply. Agriculture accounts for approximately 35% of gross domestic product and employs a majority of the working population. Production is affected by limited technology, irrigation and transport gaps, weak market connections, post-harvest losses and climate-related disasters. Khmer cuisine commonly combines rice with fish or meat, fresh vegetables and herbs. Typical preparations include wok cooking, soups, curries, steaming in banana leaves, grilling and fermentation. Prahok is a fermented fish paste used for seasoning. Common dishes include Fish Amok, Nom Banh Chok, Lok Lak, Khmer Red Curry, Samlor Kako, Khmer Sour Soup or Samlor Machu, Samlor Prorhal and Bay Srop. Kampot Pepper is associated with Kampot and appears in pepper-based dishes. Battambang is known for rice production, the Tonle Sap and Mekong areas for freshwater-fish cuisine, and Kep for crab and seafood. Phnom Penh offers a broad mix of Khmer, international, market and street food, while Siem Reap has a strong local and tourist restaurant sector. Food in villages and provinces often follows seasonal availability and local resources. People obtain food daily through markets, local traders, farm and fishing supply chains, market stalls, street vendors, local restaurants, homestays and guesthouses. Access to these providers is generally open. A private household preparing food for itself does not normally need to register as a food business. Commercial food businesses may need registration, licensing and inspection according to their activity and risk category. Seafood prices, portions and preparation charges should be clarified before cooking. Markets and street food are often cheaper than restaurants, tourism-oriented providers and imported products, but Cambodia has no single national food tariff and prices change with location, season, supply and provider. Food safety covers the chain from production through processing, trade and consumption. Cambodia's Food Safety Law was promulgated on 8 June 2022. The Ministry of Commerce and the Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General, together with responsible ministries and local authorities, inspect food and address unsafe products, misleading advertising and fraud. Imported food may require certificates and other documents. Inter-Ministerial Prakas 868 concerns commercial food and excludes family and recreational food. Contamination, poor hygiene, unsafe water, pesticide residues, weak cold storage and post-harvest handling create practical risks. Bottled drinking water and food served hot and freshly prepared are common precautions; raw or inadequately chilled products require closer checking. Consumers have a claim to safe and quality-compliant food. Providers remain responsible for hygiene, compliance, inspection requirements, import rules and accurate labelling. A complaint about a product, misleading claim or suspected fraud can be directed through the relevant consumer-protection and responsible government channels. Rice and sugar provide approximately 80% of calories in Cambodia. Around 16% of households cannot afford a healthy diet, and approximately 42% of children aged 6 to 23 months receive the minimum acceptable diet. Diets can lack protein, fruit, vegetables, legumes, milk and eggs, while undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies exist alongside a growing problem of excess weight. A more varied diet therefore combines staple foods with fish, meat, eggs, legumes, vegetables and fruit when household resources allow. Food practices also carry social meaning. Shared family meals, village hospitality and dishes such as Samlor Prorhal at celebrations or religious events connect eating with community life. Food-system planning includes healthy diets, food safety, stronger value chains, climate resilience and social protection. Cambodia's Roadmap for Food Systems for Sustainable Development 2030 and the Third National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition 2024–2028 support measures such as climate-smart and low-emission rice production, alternate wetting and drying, resilient aquaculture and livestock, agroforestry, Community Fisheries, Community Fish Refuges, and habitat and mangrove protection. These measures must balance yields, export income, affordability, biodiversity, water use and climate risks.