Handicrafts cover 70 percent of Luang Prabang exports
Handicrafts cover 70 percent of Luang Prabang exports
Almost 70 percent of the total value of exports from Luang Prabang province in the last nine months has come from handicrafts, according to a senior staff member of the provincial Department of Industry and Commerce.
Director General of the department Mr Somphong Padichith told Vientiane Times yesterday that the 70 percent coverage marked a significant contribution to the increase in export value.
“Luang Prabang city is already a world-recognised tourism destination, therefore a variety of handicraft items are on sale in the night market and other shopping venues here,” he said.
Most of the handicrafts are made by local artisans formed into groups to produce unique products; mostly to be used as souvenirs, or given as presents.
Mr Somphong said that the bulk of these locally made products get sold in the various local markets as well as in the Luang Prabang night market, a well-known gathering place for domestic and foreign travellers.
“Agricultural produce is the second largest export item in the industry and commerce sector. Most of this is corn, ‘job's tear' fruit and other crops,” Mr Somphong said.
He said these local crops get bought by trading companies before being exported to Thailand, China and other countries in the region.
According to a recent report from the provincial Import and Export Division under the province's Industry and Commerce Department, the gross export value of the province stood at 223.6 billion kip over the past nine months of fiscal year 2013/14.
Handicraft products supplied to the domestic market were worth over 97.4 billion kip, the amount exported to China reached 47.5 billion kip and to Thailand it was over 11.4 billion kip.
The value of exports to Vietnam was recorded at 8.8 billion kip, those to Japan at 151 million kip and those to India at 213 million kip.
When compared to the total export figure in the previous fiscal year, this showed an increase of 2.65 percent, which is equivalent to 53.18 percent of the plan for 2013-14.
In 2013, the number of overseas visitors to Laung Prabang province reached 343,000 so they set an ambitious goal for tourist arrivals to hit the 500,000 mark after the end of this year.
An increased number of foreign tourist arrivals in Luang Prabang makes a significant contribution to socio-economic development when it comes to expenditure on accommodation, meals, the purchase of handicrafts and other business activities.
vientiane times
