Pakngum district leads the field in cassava supply
Pakngum district leads the field in cassava supply
The Lao Indochina Group Public Company has reported that Pakngum district, Vie ntiane, is the largest supplier of cassava to their tapioca factory – and more farmers are growing the crop.
Pakngum's cassava delivery to the factory between September 25 and November 20 covered over 50 percent of total supply, according to a review meeting on cassava last Friday, which cited the district's high yields.
“About 14,800 tonnes of cassava was delivered to the factory in that time period, including about 7,600 tonnes from Pakngum district,” company Chairman Mr Sengmaly Sengvatthana said.
There are 13,500 hectares of cassava under cultivation, farmed by 4,800 families in 271 villages across 14 districts in Vientiane, and Borikhamxay and Vientiane provinces. The company expects to expand its cassava farms to cover over 20,000 hectares in the near future.
The company has rapidly expanded in the past five years. In 2008-2009, it had only 2,000 hectares of cassava farms tended to by just 400 families in 46 villages. Pakngum district had just 92 families in nine villages working on 224 hectares of cassava farms.
“However, the district now has almost 5,300 hectares of farms run by over 2,000 families in 48 villages,” Mr Sengmaly said.
In 2008-2009, about 17,300 tonnes of cassava was delivered to the factory, including around 1,600 tonnes from Pakngum district.
“Supply rose to almost 81,500 tonnes in 2011-2012, including over 35,000 tonnes from Pakngum,” Mr Sengmaly said.
In September the company reported a jump in the number of cassava farms in Hom district, Vientiane province.
In 2008 the district had only 400 hectares under cultivation, but it's now tripled to 1,200 hectares – capable of producing 25,000 tonnes of cassava each season. This will earn Hom district farmers 12 billion kip in the 2012-2013 production year.
In 2011-2012, the district supplied the factory with just 10,000 tonnes – worth around 5 billion kip – grown by 346 families. Each family received about 14 million kip.
Some 90 percent of the factory's output – tapioca – is exported to China, whilst the rest is sold on the domestic market.
Tapioca powder is found in noodles, snack foods, and seasonings. It is also used in the production of clothes, glue, paint, paper, medicine, false teeth, and prosthetic limbs.
vientiane times
