Cambodia Looks to Put Its Rice on the World’s Plate

Women working in a rice paddy in Phnom Penh. Cambodia’s rice industry has undergone a transformation, and the product can now be found in high-end grocery markets in the West. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

Bun Chan Tony, a rice farmer, checking rice for impurities before sending it to the miller. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

A rice mill outside Phnom Penh. Before Cambodia formed a rice federation, growers, millers and exporters each had a separate industry body. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

Sacks of milled rice being unloaded at the Khmer Foods Group warehouse in Phnom Penh. The company exports rice to the European market. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

A machine at Khmer Foods polishes and refines milled rice before it is exported. Last year, Cambodia was the world’s fifth-largest exporter of rice. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

Workers at Khmer Foods packaging refined rice. Cambodia hopes to sell its rice to new markets, like the United States, China and Africa. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

A wholesaler in Phnom Penh sifting through rice to check for impurities. The rice is mixed with a lower-quality rice grain before being repackaged and sold at a lower price. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

A rice seller in Phnom Penh’s old market. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

A family at breakfast in a farmhouse outside Phnom Penh. In Cambodia, 80 percent of the population works in paddies. Luc Forsyth for The New York Times

Cambodia Looks to Put Its Rice on the World’s Plate

International New York Times | 29 July 2014