Nam Bak oranges unable to keep pace with demand
Nam Bak oranges unable to keep pace with demand
Luang Prabang provincial authorities are encouraging orange growers to expand their orchards in Nam Bak district as market demand for the fruit spirals.
There are currently 700 hectares of orange trees in the district yielding about 10 tonnes of fruit a year, according to the province’s agriculture section.
Each family of growers earns 25-30 million kip from the sale of oranges, the section’s Deputy Head Ms Soudalath Keoboualapha told Vientiane Times yesterday.
Most of the trees grow on the banks of the Nam Bak River and are sold in northern markets and Vientiane.
But as market sales around the country increase, the current yield is failing to meet demand, Ms Soudalath said.
The agriculture section is encouraging growers to plant more trees and is providing them with more seeds and advising them about pest prevention, she added.
Each tree produces fruit for 4-5 years and the crop is harvested from the end of August to November.
Orange tree cultivation has been a tradition among families in the district for many years and the fruit have become very popular, known to everyone as Nam Bak oranges. They are particularly enjoyed for their sweetness and taste.
Most people buy Nam Bak oranges from the growers themselves in local markets. Purchasers either buy them to eat or to make juice.
This species of orange is not suitable for canning or juicing on a commercial basis because of its thick rind, said the head of the province’s commerce promotion and development section, Mr Sisomphone Phatsanouvong.
One company in Luang Prabang province has inspected the quality of the oranges, but found they could not be processed, he said.
Some traders buy the fruit directly from the farm and then sell them either in the town of Luang Prabang or in other provinces.
The people of Nam Bak get a large proportion of their income from oranges and also from weaving. Oranges sold locally fetch 5,000 kip per kg but the price is higher in other areas.
vientiane times
