Archive for the ‘Agriculture and agribusiness / ກະສິກໍາ ແລະ ທຸລະກິດກະສິກຳ’ Category
May 22nd, 2013
Vientiane Times, 21 May, 2013
Rubber processing factories in Oudomxay province are facing unexpected problems because China is not allowing the import of rubber from Laos at the moment, causing large amounts of the material to remain in stock. Sino-Lao Rubber Company Director Mr Oun told the media recently that, after the company had invested in the building of a rubber processing factory, they encountered an export problem when China refused to allow imports of their rubber, forcing the factory to hold 270 tonnes of processed rubber, worth over one billion kip, in stock.
May 1st, 2013
Vientiane Times, 1 May, 2013
Investors from neighbouring China plan to pour more capital into developing a new tea processing plant in Laos’ northernmost province of Phongsaly, aiming to process good quality tea for export to China. The Phongsaly Provincial Governor Mr Khamjane Vongphosy delivered a report about the plan during the government’s four-day open meeting that closed in Vientiane recently.
May 1st, 2013
 Growing bananas under a contract farming arrangement with a Chinese company. Photo from Phongsaly Province (2012). Vientiane Times, 1 May, 2013
Oudomxay provincial authorities will not issue new investment licenses for the plantation of bananas for export. The decision to impose the ban has been made after banana growing has caused negative impacts to the environment and a reduction in rice production in the province.
Deputy Head of the Provincial Agriculture and Foresty Department Mr Souvik Chanthayod told the Vientiane Timesthis week that the provincial authority has already banned new banana investment projects for two years.
April 29th, 2013
Vientiane Times, 29 April, 2013
Authorities are encouraging vegetable growers in Vientiane to grow more organic produce for sale at the twice-weekly market on the That Luang esplanade, to ensure consumers eat healthily. These days many people in Vientiane are recognising the benefits of organic food. Eating vegetables that have been organically grown is better for your health because they are free from potentially harmful chemicals.
February 2nd, 2013
Vientiane Times, 2 Feb, 2013
Companies that have set up rubber plantations in Laos should improve the pay and conditions for workers, as many of the families working on these plantations are still earning very low incomes, a labour official has suggested. This situation runs contrary to the reason that concessions are granted, the justification being that they will provide gainful employment and improve the lives of local villagers.
January 24th, 2013
Vientiane Times, 24 Jan 2013
Many people have expressed concern about food security in the coming years, as large tracts of rice fields disappear to make way for property development, especially houses and factories, on the urban fringes. With population growth and increasing economic expansion, greater attention is required in regards to managing agricultural land and ensuring food security, which requires more sophisticated monitoring tools.
December 11th, 2012
LIWG, Dec 11, 2012
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published its annual State of Food and Agriculture report which can be downloaded here. The report advocates a new investment strategy that puts farmers at the centre, including helping smallholders access credit, supporting producer associations, investing in agricultural research and development, rural infrastructure and ensuring that large-scale investments in agriculture are transparent, accountable, socially beneficial and environmentally sustainable.
October 5th, 2012
 Olam International coffee plantation in Paksong, Champasack Province. Olam International, Oct 3, 2012
This statement details the background and actions taken with regard to a dispute by local villagers, over the granting of land rights in the Paksong District, Laos, where Olam operates a coffee growing subsidiary, Outspan Bolovens. Olam is committed to growing our business responsibly, applying the highest international standards of best practice in surveying and assessing the social and environmental impact of cultivation of land under our stewardship. A survey of the land in question was conducted according to national laws and regulations and we commenced our development in the belief that there were no issues outstanding. However, in December 2011, an international NGO brought some issues concerning this plantation to our attention so we acted promptly to investigate.
September 24th, 2012
Vientiane Times, Sept 24, 2012.
Farmers should form groups if they want to gain more power to negotiate the sale price of their products, a case study has revealed. A study on vegetable markets in Khoun district, Xieng Khuang province, undertaken by the National Agriculture and Forestry Institute found that vegetable growers in Nhoun village were able to sell their crops for higher prices after forming groups.
September 7th, 2012
Vientiane Times, Sept 7, 2012.
Luang Namtha provincial authorities are tackling the issue of falling rubber prices after growers have been hit by consistently low prices for several months this year. A decline in the rubber price on the world market and an oversupply of raw rubber in Luang Namtha has seen traders offering considerably lower prices than usual, according to the provincial Industry and Commerce Department.
|
Posted in 
Tags: 
