Drought forces Cambodian farmers to cut corn acreage

Drought and the risk of a stronger El Niño are pushing some Cambodian farmers to reduce corn acreage or abandon the crop altogether next season. The main challenges are moisture shortages, lack of irrigation and high production costs.

In some farms, corn output has fallen by around 40% this season. One farmer in Banteay Meanchey province plans to cut his corn area from 40 ha to 20 ha after suffering such a decline in production.

At another farm in Battambang, output from 6 ha fell from nearly 50 tons to around 30 tons. Higher fertilizer and fuel costs, unstable grain prices and the risk of renewed drought have prompted the farmer to stop growing corn next season.

The situation is being aggravated by the heavy dependence of local agriculture on rainfall. Many farmers lack access to irrigation, making prolonged dry weather a direct threat to corn yields and profitability.

According to WMO, El Niño is already established and could intensify in the coming months, with a high probability of persisting through February. This increases the risk of further drought and could lead to lower corn acreage and domestic supply in Cambodia.

Tags: corn, drought, sown area, Cambodian