The government plans to boost its tax-free export quota of rice to Vietnam by a further 30,000 tonnes this year.
Last year, Laos exported 40,000 tonnes of rice to Vietnam tax free, up from 30,000 tonnes in 2008, the Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s Import and Export Department, Mr Khoun Southammakoth, told Vientiane Times yesterday.
The government is storing rice to ensure it can meet its export targets, according to a report from the department.
Mr Khoun said officials from the governments of Laos and Vietnam will meet in Vientiane to discuss the issue next month.
Laos first achieved self-sufficiency in rice production in 2000, with excess crops exported since then.
“The department can’t estimate the exact figure of rice exported because in the past we have not received regular reports from customs authorities stationed at each provincial international border checkpoint,” said Mr Khoun.
Farmers often export rice to neighbouring countries informally, meaning official figures are lower than reality.
In some provinces, foreign traders buy rice from local farmers and then transport it back to their country without informing customs officials of the exact amounts, he said.
This informal trade also causes problems for industry and commerce authorities in their attempts to manage the price of goods in the domestic market. The trade of rice between Laos and Vietnam further boosts relations and trade cooperation between the two nations.
“When Laos exports rice to Vietnam, prices are set according to market mechanisms,” said Mr Khoun.
The government is encouraging farmers to boost production of commercial crops to sell in domestic markets and to export, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
The ministry is involved in increasing agricultural production by promoting new techniques and mobilising technical staff to advise farmers around the country on how they can increase their yields.
In 2008, Laos produced about 2.9 million tonnes of rice, which increased to 3.1 million tonnes last year, and the target for this year is 3.3 million tonnes.
Laos also exports a variety of black rice to Europe through the European Union, Mr Khoun said.
According to the Vietnamese Food Association, this month Vietnam expects to export about 700,000 tonnes of rice.
In the first six months of this year Vietnam will export more than 3.35 million tonnes of rice.
Source: Vientiane Times By Khamphone Syvonxay June 10, 2010
my family stii have a few bufflaloes and rice field, some body grow the rice and take care for bufflaloes, from the past to present, the majority of Lao ppls buy the rice , nothing changed and in the future, i predict, farmers more and more will give up growing rice, but there will be a company to grow the rice instead..and we will export the rice as thailand and vietnam, Looking forwad to seeing the investors from Kuwait to invest in agriculture in Laos.
Don't talk about future, now Laos is buying rice from Thailand and Vietnam anyway. All rice that we are eating right now isn't fromm inside Laos produce. We are still breathing with some body nose.