High demand for organic fruits
High demand for organic fruits
Organic fruit growers are struggling to keep up with high demand for their produce in Vientiane markets, despite being almost double the price of non-organic fruit.
Nontae village organic vegetable growers' group chief, Mr Khamphou Phanthaboun, recently said producers in Vientiane's Xaythany district could supply about four tonnes of organic fruit and vegetables to markets each week. There are 11 organic growers' groups in the district.
“We don't have any problem selling organic vegetables and fruits so far, but we have a problem; we can't supply enough to meet the high demand of the markets because only a small number of people grow organic crops,” Mr Khamphou said.
Mr Ma Muaxongdra, an organic fruit grower who is part of the Mr Khamphou's group, said Vientiane markets have a strong demand for organic fruit in his district and growers just could not supply enough.
“Organic fruits sell well and I don't sell them at the organic markets because merchants come to buy produce direct at the garden every time the fruits are ripe,” he said.
Mr Ma's 13ha organic garden is located in Duangbouddee village, more than 10km from central Vientiane. Some of his land is situated on the Nam Ngum River.
He mainly grows mango, rambutan, pomela, and sapodilla trees, but also has some dragon fruit, lychee and sour berry in his garden.
From last month to early this month, Mr Ma sold more than 30 tonnes of rambutan and eight tonnes of mango to Vientiane markets. He earned more than 100 million kip.
A kilogramme of rambutan starts from 10,000 kip while mango costs 7,000 – 10,000 kip. The per kilogramme cost of non-organic rambutan is 5,000 kip and mango costs 3,000 kip.
“I earn 300 million kip per year from selling fruits. It is a good income, but it is not easy to maintain fruit trees to bear a lot of fruits at a good quality,” Mr Ma said.
He spends about 100 million kip on organic fertilisers, land tax, workers, electricity and costs of transporting fruits to market. Mr Ma doesn't have any plans to grow a new kind of fruit to meet the high demand of the markets.
He said he would like friends in different growers' groups in Xaythany district and other districts to change from non-organic vegetable and fruits to organic crops because of the health and safety benefits organic offers.
vientiane times
