Lao BKN Company supports Borikhamxay mai tiew growers
Lao BKN Company supports Borikhamxay mai tiew growers
The Lao BKN Company, a white charcoal producer in Laos, is providing funds to productive project members who grow and protect mai tiew (Cratexylon prunitfolium) trees in Thaphabath district, Borikhamxay province.
The company, in cooperation with local authorities in Thaphabath district, has selected 27 model families to receive a total of 31 million kip.
Four of these families are set to receive 2 million kip, with seven families receiving 1.5 million kip, nine families receiving 1 million kip and seven families receiving 500,000 kip.
Another seventeen families who are also members of the company project and had been maintaining their old farms also received 6.7 million kip.
The handover ceremony was held at Huay Leurk village, Thaphabath district in Borikhamxay province. The funds were presented by the district's Deputy Governor Mr Bounsong Phetchaleun and representatives from the provincial agriculture and forestry sector.
The company currently has 89 families as members with more than 700 hectares of land in the district, according to Lao BKN Company's report.
In 2007-08, the people of Thaphabath village began growing, protecting and maintaining mai tiew , with only seven families joining the project in the beginning.
Since then, the company members have expanded to different provinces such as Vientiane, as well as Savannakhet, Saravan and Vientiane province.
To promote the sustainability of the project, each year the company provides funds for mai tiew farmers and their families.
Under the project, the company signs a contract with its members through a two plus three system. In this system the company helps to supply seedlings, as well as providing marketing and technical assistance. The people, on the other hand, provide the labour and land.
The Lao BKN Company exports around 1,200 tonnes of white charcoal to Japan every year, the company's Director Mr Bounoum Phanthapanya said.
Mai tiew trees help people earn an income because they are able to sell them to the company, which processes the white charcoal.
This project also helps to increase greenery and forestry in the country, which is in line with the government's policy.
However, currently Mr Bounoum is worried about illegal producers who can collect and buy mai tiew trees produced from people at a higher price than the company without any investment and promotion.
vientiane times
