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Teamwork needed to boost production: Commerce official
Different government agencies have different roles and duties but need to work together to boost agricultural production, a senior official from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has said.
Trade Promotion and Production Department Acting Director General, Mr Somvang Ninthavong, said yesterday that agricultural production depended on close cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Bank of the Lao PDR, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce needs to identify potential markets and provide information to farmers about market requirements and specifications of goods. Meanwhile the Bank of the Lao PDR should increase the provision of loans tailored to farmers' needs and incomes, so that they have access to the necessary capital to invest in crop expansion, he said.
He also said the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry needed to provide technical assistance to farmers on how they can grow crops to meet the specifications of the market and reduce production costs so farmers can sell their goods at competitive prices.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport needs to help facilitate efficient transport and loading so farmers can get their goods to market in good condition and in a timely manner.
Mr Somvang was speaking at a meeting with Lao media representatives in Vientiane yesterday, aiming to seek help from journalists to create a better understanding about the concepts of commercial production, goods processing and marketing.
He said the public still did not understand the distinction between raw produce and packaged goods, and the use of modern packaging is one of the major hurdles to Laos in producing more goods for domestic and foreign markets.
Mr Somvang said Laos produces rice in excess of domestic demand, but most surplus rice cannot be exported as it is not packaged for international markets. He said many people, particularly overseas, expect to buy packaged goods.
A s an example, they may not want to buy bulk rice of which the origin was not immediately evident. He said that produce for the consumer market must be packaged and labeled, providing information on the country of origin, consumer and nutritional information, and an expiry date.
Mr Somvang said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has assigned commercial attaches to Lao embassies to help the government learn what international markets want and which goods Laos can produce for overseas markets. The mi nistry has also created a website called Buylao, where producers can post their products online. At present, there are more than 100 Lao products posted on the website.
The government places great importance on boosting the production of goods over the next five years, as Laos is on track to become a member of the WTO and will be able to export more goods.
The demand for goods in the domestic market is also high. At present, Laos imports most of its consumer goods from the neighbouring nations of Thailand, China and Vietnam. Laos' major exports are hydropower, minerals, other natural resources and garments.
vientiane times
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