DPM encourages processing industry improvements
DPM encourages processing industry improvements
Processing industrial products, handicrafts and product promotion are crucial for trade integration with the Asean Economic Community and other international bodies, a deputy prime minister has stressed.
“A key factor to achieving productive outcomes is to specifically divide the responsibility for each department concerned as well as cooperating with other sectors to ensure the plan is successfully implemented,” Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad said.
At yesterday’s meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Mr Somsavat received reports on progress made from officials in the field of the processing industry and handicraft products.
The director generals of various departments concerned also reported on the achievements over the past few years and identified some difficulties in implementing the plan.
DPM Somsavat is responsible for four different ministries, Energy and Mines, Agriculture and Forestry, Public Works and Transport and Industry and Commerce.
In his talk with officials, Mr Somsavat also stated that the One District One Product (ODOP) programme should be sustainably promoted to ensure it can produce high quality products.
“We have to think more on how we can sustainably promote ODOP products in Laos and to promote them to be identifiable brand names. They should be produced and ready to supply the demands of customers,” he said.
According to the ministry, currently there are a total of over 39,000 industrial processing factories nationwide. The growth of the processing industry sector during the years 2010-12 was recorded at 12 percent per year, which contributed 30 percent of gross domestic product in the industry sector.
Mr Somsavat also said that the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) will also have to actively consider the role of trade promotion based on strategic market policies.
“Coordination with various relevant government sectors is a strategic method to achieve satisfactory results so it is important to share knowledge through group discussion, create a division of duties and continue to jointly implement the plan,” he said.
vientiane times
