Cambodia's 2025 Green Coffee Export Destinations: What the Data Can and Cannot Tell Buyers

Cambodia is still a small and emerging coffee origin in global trade. That makes every new data point interesting, but it also makes careless conclusions unusually risky. A short export table can be turned into a story about rapid scale, strong demand, or a mature supply chain even when the underlying records only describe a narrow product code and a limited quantity.

For overseas roasters, importers, distributors, and hospitality buyers, the useful question is not simply, "How much coffee did Cambodia export?" It is: "What does this dataset actually measure, which destinations appear in it, and what still needs to be verified at lot level?"

World Bank WITS data for 2025 provides one answer for Cambodian exports under HS 090111: coffee that is not roasted and not decaffeinated. A separate report published by Cambodianess on 21 October 2026 cites Cambodian government figures that are much larger. The difference is not something a buyer should smooth over. It is a reason to examine product codes, reporting scope, dates, and shipment evidence before using a national headline in a commercial decision.

What the WITS destination table reports

The WITS page for Cambodia's 2025 exports of HS 090111 reports a total trade value of US$16.37 thousand and a quantity of 1,281 kilograms. The ten largest destinations by value were Japan, the United States, China, Switzerland, South Korea, France, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Hong Kong, China. In total, 31 partner markets appear in the 2025 WITS table, most with very small quantities.

By value, Japan led (US$5.96K, 563 kg), followed by the United States (US$2.02K, 74 kg), China (US$1.77K, 112 kg), Switzerland (US$1.60K, 94 kg), and South Korea (US$1.10K, 130 kg). These are small quantities. They are useful as evidence that Cambodian green coffee has entered several international markets under this customs category, but they do not establish stable annual supply, repeat orders, or commercial-scale availability.

Why another Cambodian source reports much more

Cambodianess reported on 21 October 2026 that Cambodia produced 1,333 tonnes of coffee in 2025 and exported 601 tonnes, citing the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The same article said Estonia, China, Japan, and Russia were among export markets. It also described Cambodian producers seeking overseas buyers at SIAL Paris 2026.

Those numbers are not directly interchangeable with the WITS HS 090111 table. The two sources may differ in commodity scope, customs classification, reporting method, shipment timing, product form, or later revisions. The public pages reviewed for this article do not provide enough detail to reconcile them line by line.

A responsible buyer should therefore keep both records with their source labels instead of selecting the larger or smaller figure to fit a sales narrative. National trade data is context. A contract still depends on a defined seller, a defined lot, and documents that match the actual shipment.

What the destination spread does suggest

The Asian, European, and North American destinations show that Cambodian green coffee has more than one discovery path. However, the table does not identify whether shipments were samples, micro-lots, repeat orders, or larger contracts. The United States is present but not dominant, which, in our reading, supports a pilot-first approach for US roasters. Destination diversity shows reach, not supply consistency; repeatability still has to be proven lot by lot.

A buyer checklist for reading Cambodian coffee trade data

1. Confirm the product code and form

Ask whether the figure covers green coffee, roasted coffee, soluble coffee, or a combination. HS 090111 is specifically non-roasted, non-decaffeinated coffee. A headline about "coffee exports" may use a broader category.

2. Separate national totals from supplier capacity

A national export figure cannot prove that one supplier controls the reported volume. Request the seller's own available-lot list, crop year, lot size, preparation, and replenishment plan. Do not convert a country total into a supplier promise.

3. Match the sample to the commercial lot

The offer sample, pre-shipment sample, contract sample, and arrival sample may serve different control points. Record lot identifiers and agreed specifications so that a strong first cup is not treated as proof that every bag will match.

4. Verify physical and sensory evidence

Request moisture, screen distribution, defect analysis, processing, harvest information, and a documented tasting protocol. A score without sample identity and evaluator context is incomplete.

5. Clarify the export and import path

Identify who acts as exporter, importer of record, freight forwarder, customs broker, and final consignee. Confirm the Incoterm, port or airport, insurance responsibility, packaging, documents, and what happens if an inspection or delay occurs. Our export guide from sample request to commercial shipment covers this sequence in more detail.

6. Compare landed cost, not only bean price

Include freight, documentation, brokerage, duties, inland delivery, financing time, samples, and transit risk. A pilot lot may cost more per kilogram. For the components, see the Cambodian coffee import cost breakdown.

7. Keep claims proportional to evidence

A recorded shipment does not prove broad demand, repeat contracts, or guaranteed availability.

What this means for Cambodia-origin coffee

Cambodia does not need to imitate a high-volume origin to become relevant. Its more credible route is evidence-led differentiation: clearly identified lots, honest scale, processing transparency, repeatable quality checks, and a commercial process that buyers can audit.

For Origin Coffee Cambodia (OCC.), the appropriate role is to help buyers understand Cambodia-origin coffee and route genuine commercial questions to the right contact. This article does not promise current inventory, certifications, prices, or export capacity. Those details must be confirmed for the actual lot and transaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Cambodia export green coffee in 2025?

Yes. The World Bank WITS page for HS 090111 reports 1,281 kilograms, worth US$16.37 thousand, exported from Cambodia in 2025. A separate Cambodian government figure reported by Cambodianess is much larger, so buyers should retain each source's scope rather than treating them as identical.

Which countries appear in the WITS destination data?

The ten largest destinations by value were Japan, the United States, China, Switzerland, South Korea, France, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Hong Kong, China. In total, 31 partner markets appear in the 2025 WITS table, most with very small quantities.

Does the data prove Cambodia can supply large wholesale orders?

No. National trade data does not prove the capacity, inventory, quality, or repeatability of an individual supplier. Those points require lot-level and seller-level evidence.

Does HS 090111 mean Fine Robusta?

No. It describes coffee that is not roasted and not decaffeinated. It does not establish species, quality grade, cup score, processing method, or Fine Robusta status.

What should a buyer request before placing an order?

At minimum: seller identity, lot identity, crop year, available quantity, sample relationship to the lot, physical and sensory specifications, packaging, Incoterm, logistics responsibilities, and shipment documents.

Evaluating Cambodia as a sourcing origin? Review Origin Coffee Cambodia (OCC.)'s wholesale pathway and request current, lot-specific information before making a commercial decision.

Sources

• World Bank WITS / UN Comtrade, "Cambodia Coffee, not roasted or decaffeinated exports by country | 2025," accessed 2 November 2026: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/KHM/year/2025/tradeflow/Exports/partner/ALL/product/090111
• Cambodianess, "Cambodian Coffee Producers Seek Global Markets as Imports Outstrip Local Output," published 21 October 2026: https://www.cambodianess.com/article/cambodian-coffee-producers-seek-global-markets-as-imports-outstrip-local-output