Exporter expands broom grass market in Vietnam, China
Exporter expands broom grass market in Vietnam, China
An investor in Vientiane province will be the first in the area to grow kheam grass, which is used to make household brooms, on a large scale for sale to Vietnam and China.
The businessman has been growing and exporting this species of grass for more than a decade but has struggled to meet market demand with the currently available raw materials.
Mr Noy Phanthavong told Vientiane Times this week that he and his family had decided to plant kheam grass on an area of nearly 200 hectares after he had carried out a survey and submitted documents to the authorities requesting a concession.
“We want to grow this grass on a large scale because the amount that grows wild is not sufficient for our needs. We need more grass so that we can meet increasing market demand,” he said.
His wife, Mrs Nith Phanthavong, who helps her husband in the business, said she not only bought grass from people in Vientiane province, but also from Xayaboury and Luang Prabang provinces.
“This is the 14th year we've been selling grass to Vietnam and China. Each year we sell more than 2,000 tonnes. But this amount has never been enough to supply the quantity that our customers require,” she said.
The grass that she and her husband buy locally grows in the wild but is eaten by livestock. As the number of cattle in the area increases, it is becoming harder to find sufficient quantities of grass.
“So we decided to plant more by the end of this year after getting a concession agreement from the authorities. We will grow it in Hinheup district in Vientiane province. This will ensure that we have a permanent supply of grass to harvest,” she said.
The grass will be ready to cut two years after being planted. The plants will continue to grow for about 10 years and can be cut several times.
Her husband also plans to grow cassava, and they will sell this crop as well.
The grass can be harvested from now until April. Local people sell the grass for 3,000 kip per kg and Mrs Nith hires about 100 workers in the three provinces to dry the grass and load it onto trucks.
Each worker is paid 50,000 kip per day, with most hired in Vientiane and Luang Prabang provinces. These two provinces can produce about 2,000 tonnes of grass each year, whereas Xayaboury province yields only 200 to 300 tonnes a year.
“We export more grass to China than Vietnam because Luang Prabang and Xayaboury provinces are closer to China, while Vientiane province is closer to Vietnam,” Mrs Nith said.
Her husband denied that there was big money to be made from the business, saying “We don't earn much from selling kheam grass to other countries.”
