Cambodia’s $23.38bn January–April trade figure was a May snapshot, not the final series

The May release showed a strong start to the year

AKP and the Phnom Penh Post both reported total merchandise trade of $23.38 billion for the first four months of 2026, compared with about $19.5 billion in the same period a year earlier. On that basis, total trade was up 19.9%.

The published split was $11.12 billion of exports and $12.26 billion of imports, leaving a gap of roughly $1.14 billion between the two. The two May articles did not agree on the export growth rate, however: one gave 23.7% and the other 21.7%. The absolute export and import values are therefore the more dependable part of that May snapshot.

For companies exposed to cross-border demand, logistics or imported inputs, the data pointed to heavier trade flows in both directions. They did not by themselves establish stronger margins, higher wages or better conditions in every export-oriented industry.

For practical context, see Cambodia economy and finance. This development also connects with Cambodia-Indonesia trade rises 33% to $935m in eight months.

Later customs tables changed the comparison base

GDCE subsequently published a monthly series in which the January through April figures add up to about $24.45 billion, rather than the $23.38 billion reported on 11 May. The later series also gives a materially higher import total for those months.

The available GDCE release does not provide a clear note explaining the difference as a formal revision of the May figure. That makes the date of the statistic important. The $23.38 billion number is useful as a record of what was reported in May, while later-period comparisons should use the later GDCE series consistently instead of joining the two datasets as though nothing changed.

For an investor, manufacturer or exporter, that distinction affects trend analysis more than the headline itself. A one-off four-month total cannot show whether a specific sector is gaining market share, whether input costs are rising, or whether stronger trade volumes are translating into better business performance.