The trade in agricultural products between Vietnam and Cambodia: growth of dependence or mutual benefit?

The article is dedicated to the analysis of the dynamics and structure of agricultural trade between Vietnam and Cambodia, which has become an important element of economic interaction between the two countries over the past decades. Vietnam, as the largest importer of Cambodian agricultural products, plays a key role in shaping the demand and development directions of Cambodia's agriculture. The focus is on commodity groups such as rubber, cashews, and rice, which constitute a significant share of bilateral trade. It is noted that Cambodia, by supplying raw materials to Vietnam, loses a substantial part of the added value, which enhances its dependence on the Vietnamese market. At the same time, Vietnam, by using Cambodian raw materials for processing and export, strengthens its position in the global market. It is emphasized that despite the mutually beneficial nature of cooperation, Cambodia risks becoming a raw material appendage of Vietnam, which makes its economy vulnerable to changes in Vietnamese agricultural policy. The author concludes that the further development of agricultural cooperation between the two countries requires a balance between Vietnam's interests and the necessity of strengthening processing capacities in Cambodia to reduce dependence on raw material exports.