Modern farming techniques raise returns
Modern farming techniques raise returns
Mechanisation of rice production allows farmers to increase yields and profits as compared with traditional methods undertaken in adjacent fields, according to a recent survey.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Mr Vilayvanh Phomkhe released the survey results at the National Assembly yesterday.
The case study highlighted differences in rice production in one hectare with machinery as opposed to utilising physical labour.
According to the survey results, farmers could earn about 20 percent profit from rice farming on one hectare when using physical labour for planting and harvesting.
They could earn between 27 and 37 percent profit from farming the same area using machinery.
However, the report did not go into detail regarding the high capital costs in acquiring machinery and the need to achieve sufficient economies of scale, as opposed to traditional farming with manual labour which could be employed on a more flexible basis.
The government has a policy to promote commercial production by using modern mechanisation to boost yields while ensuring food security in Laos.
The survey reflects the government's policy to use modern equipment to raise productivity and reduce costs of production while increasing yields and profits for farmers.
The government has also formulated a policy to attract both domestic and foreign investment into the farming sector with an aim to acquire technology transfers and gain greater economic returns.
Other factors that contribute to higher yields include the selection of rice seeds, irrigation and related techniques.
Laos remains a largely agricultural nation with some 80 percent of the population reliant on agricultural production for their livelihoods.
However, there have been many years when rice production in Laos has fallen short of the target.
Despite the shortfall of rice production this year, the government will continue to maintain its ambitious production goals by adding 200,000 tonnes to the new plan for the following year.
This means the target for rice production in the fiscal year 2014-15 is 4.2 million tones,
This increase comes despite recent shortfalls.
At present, Laos has more than 877,700 hectares of paddy fields with an average production capacity of 3 tonnes per hectare.
With the population set to reach 10 million in 2020, the government has underscored the role of Savannakhet and Khammuan provinces in the nation's rice production to ensure food security.
The government is trying to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of yields for farmers in order to enable Laos to become a rice exporter in the future. At the moment, entrepreneurs are increasingly investing in the agricultural sector in different parts of the country to diffuse mechanisation methods to lower the heavy seasonal reliance on physical labour.
Increasing the and scale of cultivation also lessens requirement for labour, helping to reduce production costs and boost benefits for farmers and investors.
