Kai noi rice adds crispness to new Beerlao Gold
Kai noi rice adds crispness to new Beerlao Gold
The Lao Brewery Company plans to encourage farmers in Xieng Khuang and Huaphan provinces to grow Khao Kai Noi , the highly prized rice being one of the most important raw materials for its new beer brew.
The company held a ceremony on Monday to unveil its new Beerlao Gold brand in Vientiane, with the new premium brew hoped to become a favourite among local people as foreign beers start to flow into the country as regional integration progresses.
The Lao Brewery Company announced that it will encourage farmers in the two provinces of Laos to grow the rice variety, adding that the company needs to source 100-200 tonnes of premium rice grain annually for its special brew.
Managing Director of Lao Brewery Company Mr Kissana Vongsay said he is very proud to have been able to utilise Kai Noi rice, which is of a superior quality and rich in nutrients, in the production of a top shelf beer.
He said that company officials are confident they are onto a winner with this particular brew and its popularity will grow rapidly as more people in Laos have greater disposable incomes thanks to continued economic growth.
The company is also proud to be able to work with local farmers in the production of this premium product, thereby ensuring that some of the profits flow back to ordinary people living in rural communities in Laos.
Brand Manager of Lao Brewery Company Mr Saysavanh Boutthavong told Vientiane Times that the company now buys Kai Noi rice from famers in both in Xieng Khuang and Huaphan provinces, which boast terrain highly suite d to the cultivation of the crop.
He said Kai noi rice is rich in nutrients and low in sugar. It is resistant to disease and yields a high productivity at three tonnes per hectare, which farmers grow using organic methods, cauing it to be in high demand.
With the specific characteristics of Kai Noi rice, many countries are also interested to import Kai Noi rice for domestic consumption especially the European countries as well as Japan and Vietnam.
Lao Brewery Company aims to promote the cultivation of this rice in the country, Mr Kissana said, as it represents the pride of the Lao people when it comes to growing top quality rice.
He said Kai Noi rice is a niche market and still represents only 2 percent of the 70,000 tonnes of rice purchased annually in Laos. However it sells for between 10,000- 11,000 kip per kg on average, commanding a higher price than regular rice, which averages 7,000- 8,000 per kg.
The use of Kai Noi rice in the production of the new BeerLao Gold will support local farmer s and help them to improve their livelihoods. Na-ou village in Xieng Khuang province is one of those which will benefit from the initiative. It has 44 families in the village and a Kai Noi production group.
In Xieng khuang province, more than 10,000 hectares is dedicated to the cultivation of Khao Kai noi , along with another 6,000 hectares in Huaphan, representing 50 percent of the rice growing land in the region.
vientiane times
