Food prices in Cambodia's border provinces are expected to rise again in the coming days as renewed cross-border clashes disrupt trade and supply chains, reversing a short period of relief recorded in November, according to the World Food Program.
In its latest Market Situation Update, the WFP said that while prices eased in November 2025, conflict reported in early December is likely to push prices higher again.
"With new clashes reported in early December, this downward trend is unlikely to hold, as conflict-driven disruptions are expected to push food prices upward, potentially reversing November's relief," the agency stated.
Despite ongoing tensions, markets across the Cambodia–Thailand border provinces remained operational throughout November. The WFP reported that the availability of fresh produce remained stable, although prices continued to fluctuate amid uncertainty.
The overall cost of the Basic Food Basket across five monitored border provinces declined by 4.8 per cent month on month from October's peak and was 7.5 per cent lower than in November 2024. The sharpest declines were recorded in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces. The Basic Food Basket is calculated on a per capita basis to measure changes in the cost of a basic diet for households.
According to the WFP, November's price relief was mainly driven by lower prices for selected fruit and vegetables. Morning glory prices declined by 12.1 per cent month on month, while sweet potatoes recorded a more moderate decrease. These declines were partly offset by increases in other food categories, resulting in mixed price trends across commodities.
To better assess the impact of conflict and border disruptions, WFP Cambodia expanded its remote market monitoring in October 2025 to 23 markets across seven provinces along the Cambodia–Thailand border. The initiative focuses on tracking food price volatility and supply constraints affecting households in conflict-affected areas.
The agency also reported continued functionality in market operations. In November, the 23 monitored markets recorded an average Market Functionality Index score of 8.9, slightly down from 9.4 in October. The decline was mainly linked to weakening price stability, which fell by 1.1 points to 7.9.
"Price stability remains the most sensitive component, strongly correlated with overall market performance, and reflects the impact of conflict-related disruptions on trade flows and transport costs," the WFP noted.
Other indicators, including produce availability and supply chain diversity, remained close to optimal levels. However, with renewed clashes reported in December, the WFP cautioned that recent improvements could be short-lived, increasing the risk of renewed price pressure for fruit and vegetables in Cambodia's border regions.
Source: Khmer Times
