Cambodia Supports Southeast Asia Rice Cartel

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has extended his support to the proposed OPEC-style rice cartel in Southeast Asia proposed by Thailand, claiming that the cartel would ensure global food security, rejecting concerns that it would increase hunger and poverty.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said last week that his country had agreed in principle to form a rice price-fixing cartel with Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia as costs of the staple grain skyrocket.

The Asian Development Bank has come out against the planned cartel, while senior Philippine officials have blasted the proposal as "anti-poor," saying it would only exacerbate hunger and poverty.