Cambodia has exported US$308 million worth of car tyres in the first five months of this year, a significant increase by 204 percent compared to the US$101 million recorded during the same period in 2023, according to a report from the Ministry of Commerce. This impressive growth is attributed to the increasing presence of car tyre factories in Cambodia, and reflects the diversification of the Kingdom's exports to international markets, said H.E. Penn Sovicheat, Secretary of State and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce. 'Car tyre is a new exported product of Cambodia. This reflects the Cambodian government's efforts to promote and expand exports to regional and global markets,' he said. "Opening a new market for tyre products is one of our steps to expand exports, while the tyre industry is one of potential industries in Cambodia," the spokesperson underlined. The country currently has three operational car tyre manufacturing facilities, in Svay Rieng, Preah Sihanouk, and Kratie provinces, while tw o other tyre factory projects have received in-principle approval for investment in Cambodia 'The export figures also show that the quality of Cambodia-made car tyres meets the demand in the foreign markets,' he said. Cambodia exported 69,322 tonnes of dry rubber in the first quarter of 2024, up 5.1 percent from 65,921 tonnes in the same period last year, pointed out a report of the General Directorate of Rubber. The Kingdom exports the commodity mainly to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and China. According to the report, Cambodia has so far planted rubber trees on a total area of 407,172 hectares, of which 320,184 hectares, or 79 percent, are old enough to be tapped. Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, has recently called on all tyre factories in the country to use domestic rubber as raw material, creating a market for rubber plantation farmers. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse