AKP Phnom Penh, June 16, 2025 --

Cambodia earned US$6.14 billion from the export of garments, footwear, and travel products (GFT) during the first five months of 2025, marking a 23.5 percent increase compared to US$4.97 billion in the same period last year, pointed out a report from the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) under the Ministry of Commerce.

The report indicated that garment and textile exports totaled US$4.46 billion, up more than 23 percent from US$3.63 billion in the same period of 2024.

Footwear exports reached US$836 million, an increase of nearly 7 percent, while travel goods exports were valued at US$842 million, also up by around 7 percent.

The sector currently includes approximately 1,608 factories and employs around 913,000 workers, the majority of whom are women, according to the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, cited recently by H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training.

“The industry not only provides income to workers but also contributes significantly to the national economy. It continues to serve as a strong backbone of Cambodia’s economic growth,” he said.

However, the sector is also facing challenges due to rising global trade barriers, particularly the imposition of tariffs by the United States.

H.E. Penn Sovicheat, Secretary of State and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said Cambodia is actively working to diversify its export markets to support the sustainable development of its manufacturing base.

“The U.S. remains Cambodia’s largest export market, but at the same time, we are expanding into other markets, including regional partners within the RCEP bloc,” he stated.

In 2024, Cambodia exported GFT products worth US$13.92 billion, representing a 23 percent increase over the previous year, according to Ministry of Commerce data.

By Chea Vannak