Bolaven coffee farms to be protected
Bolaven coffee farms to be protected
Coffee plantation areas on the Bolaven Plateau in the southern province of Champassak are expected to be better protected after the government approved a national strategy to promote coffee as a competitive crop.
President of the Lao Coffee Association, Mr Sinouk Sisombath said last week that he was among the people who played an important role in pushing for the nation's coffee development strategy to improve its competitiveness.
“If I worked for rice growers, I would push for a rice development strategy,” he said in an interview with local media last week, stressing that to produce goods for commercial sale an appropriate strategy needs to be developed.
Mr Sinouk said one of the main purposes of the coffee development strategy was to ensure the government will secure sufficient areas of land suitable for coffee plantations, giving the green light for authorities to consider and earmark land on the Bolaven Plateau as coffee plantation areas.
“There was a lot of talk that the government would develop a bauxite mine on the Bolaven plateau. With the coffee development strategy, the coffee plantation area will be secured,” he said.
The government has allowed a foreign company to conduct a feasibility study on a bauxite mining project on the Bolaven Plateau, causing concerns that the development of the mega investment project will cause a dramatic reduction of coffee plantations on the plateau.
A number of companies have also expressed interest in growing industrial trees such as rubber on the plateau, which has plenty of fertile land, despite many people saying it should be conserved for coffee and other cash crops.
Mr Sinouk also said another aim of the development strategy was to improve the quality and quantity of coffee grown in the area, adding there is a need for growers in Laos to adopt new techniques for commercial production.
The strategy also aims to create better conditions for business people who grow, manufacture and trade coffee, to run their businesses. The coffee association and related institute will also be strengthened so they can perform their duties in helping the development of coffee businesses.
The latest aim of the strategy will also improve the image of Lao coffee on both local and international markets.
Mr Sinouk said that Lao coffee was one of the top coffees in the world and it is exported to many nations around the globe.
Policy makers said that with the coffee development strategy in place, it will be easier for Laos to attract investors for coffee plantations and related businesses.
At present, Laos has an instant coffee factory located in Pakxong district, Champassak province.
The policymakers also said the strategy will enable the Lao government to gain international support to develop coffee to competitive goods status.
Laos is expected to become a member of International Coffee Organisation in the near future.
The organisation is the main intergovernmental organisation for coffee, bringing together exporting and importing countries to tackle the challenges facing the world's coffee sector through international cooperation.
Its member governments represent 94 percent of world coffee production and over 75 percent of world consumption.
vientiane times
