Saravan confident crop exports exceed plan
Saravan confident crop exports exceed plan
Saravan province is confident that exports of agricultural produce this fiscal year 2013-14 will be way over the projections given in the plan after seeing the excellent performance achieved in the first six months.
The main export crops are coffee, cardamom, peanuts, dried maize, sweet potato, rubber, wooden products, dried cassava and some forestry produce such as resin.
The province exported more than 6,500 tonnes of coffee worth over 78 billion kip (US$ 9.75 million) in the first six months, which was about 8.39 times the esti mate in the plan according to a recent report of the Saravan provincial Industry and Commerce Department.
The department also reported recently that exports of cardamom were over 85 tonnes and worth more than 5 billion kip (US$625,000). This was 6.2 times the figure in the plan.
Exports of peanuts reached almost 1,000 tonnes, earning over 6 billion kip (US$ 750,000). This also considerably exceeded the plan.
Maize exports were more than 1,500 tonnes at a value over 3 billion kip (US$ 375,000) and exports of sweet potato reached almost 3,500 tonnes, worth 6 billion kip (US$750,000).
In the first six months, the province earned agricultural export sales of more than 131 billion kip (US$16.37 million) which is 59.59 percent of the annual plan, hence their confidence in exceeding the plan by the year's end. The main markets for their goods are Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
The 131 billion kip was also about double the figure for the same period last year, the department reported.
The department's report also stated that the value of Saravan's exports in fiscal year 2013-14 will be considerably more than the 220 billion kip (US$ 27.5 million) shown in the plan.
In the first nine months of the fiscal year the export value reached over 194 billion kip (US$24.25 million) which was 88.38 percent of what was planned, the report noted.
On the import side, the province had expected the year's total to reach about 183 billion kip (US$ 22.87 million) but by nine months they had imported just over 99 billion kip (US$ 12.37 million), only 54.46 percent of the annual plan.
The imported products come from Thailand and Vietnam and inc lude food and drink, electrical equipment, machinery, construction materials and fuel. The province imported only 37 billion kip (US$ 4.62 million) of goods in the last fiscal year.
The province exported more than 70 billion kip (US$ 8.75 million) in agricultural goods in fiscal year 2012-13 which was split between exports worth over 36 billion kip (US$4.5 million) to Ubon-Ratchathani and the rest going to Vietnam.
Last year the province imported about 11.84 billion kip (US$1.48 million) worth of goods from Ubon-Ratchathani so the province has made a considerable contribution towards the country's balance of payments.
So far Saravan has made more than 10 contract farming agreements with Ubon-Ratchathani and these agreements have led to the business operators in Saravan getting more partners and more trade cooperation with Thai businesspeople.
vientiane times
