PHNOM PENH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's total imports of diesel fuel, gasoline and combustion gas reached 219.5 million U.S. dollars in January 2026, up 1.6 percent year on year, a Ministry of Commerce report said on Friday.
The country spent 133.1 million dollars for importing diesel fuel in January this year, up 15 percent compared to the same month last year; 55.5 million dollars for gasoline, down 10 percent; and 30.9 million dollars on combustion gas, down 1.3 percent, the report said.
Currently, the Southeast Asian country relies on imports for oil and gas as its seabed's oil reserves have not been exploited yet.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the modest increase in overall fuel imports reflected steady economic activity and resilient domestic demand at the start of 2026.
"The slight rise suggests continued expansion in transportation, construction and industrial sectors, which rely heavily on diesel and gasoline consumption," he told Xinhua, noting that if current trends persist, fuel imports are likely to see gradual growth throughout 2026, supported by infrastructure development and broader economic momentum. ■
