Rice exports over the first three months more than doubled compared with the same period last year, while 2011’s rainy season is expected to come early, according to government officials.

Some 18,483 tonnes worth US$10.1 million were exported during the period, compared to 5,447 tonnes worth $4.3 million during the first three months of last year, according to Ministry of Commerce statistics obtained yesterday.

Golden Rice General Manager Chan Vuthy said the company exported about 4,000 tonnes of rice in the first three months, more than double what it had exported during the same period last year.

“All our milled rice exports are currently being sold in European markets, but we plan to export to Asia, America, and African markets soon,” he said.

The company targets exporting 50,000 tonnes of rice during the whole of 2011, he says.

Ministry of Commerce official Yim Rong said yesterday Cambodia’s exports of milled rice were on the upswing,

particularly to European nations.

Earlier this week, Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun said Cambodia was on track to meet Prime Minister Hun Sen’s goal of one million tonnes of rice exports by 2015.

Domestic rice production totalled 8.25 million tonnes during the 2010/11 growing season, he said. He added that the rainy season was expected to come early to Cambodia this year, to the benefit of the rice harvest.

The Department of Meteorology Prediction at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology claimed this week that 2011’s rainy season would be stronger than 2010, offering a favourable situation for farmers.

It stated the rainy season was expected to start in mid-April instead of its usual start in mid-May.