Deputy PM tours commercial farms in Thoulakhom
Deputy PM tours commercial farms in Thoulakhom
Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad has said Lao farmers need to improve their products and shift from traditional methods to new technology if they are to ensure food security and make a profit.
Mr Somsavat, along with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and other officials from the ministry, visited agricultural production areas in Thoulakhom district, Vientiane province, on Friday.
The aim was to encourage farmers and entrepreneurs to achieve greater crop yields of better quality, in line with government policy.
Firstly, DPM Somsavat and his party visited a rice farmers' group in Phonghongnafai village, where farmers grow rice using bio-fertiliser.
The group began planting bio-fertilised rice in 2012 and together their land comprises some 14 hectares of rice paddies, of which five hectares is a demonstration area.
At first, the group harvested only two tonnes of rice per hectare but last year yields increased to three tonnes as farmers followed the advice and support of technical staff at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
After that, Mr Somsavat and his delegation visited a cattle breeding group which has been farming cattle on a commercial basis, made up of villagers from Phonghongnafai and Boungphao.
The group currently has 900 head of cattle and is also growing grass to supply sufficient feed for their livestock.
The delegation also visited an organic vegetable producer's group in Boungphao village, which was established in 2009, under an agricultural promotion for commercial cropping project.
This organic vegetable growers' group comprises 18 farming families with four hectares currently under cultivation.
The group is planting more than 40 types of popular and in-demand vegetables including lettuce, coriander, mint, onion and Chinese cabbage.
The group produces about 5-6 tonnes of organic vegetables to supply markets and restaurants each month with one family in the group taking home 4-5 million kip per month.
Then the delegation toured a fruit and cattle farm run by Lao Industry and Agriculture Limited, which is also based in Thoulakhom district.
Mr Somsavat advised farmers to compare traditional methods and new techniques and to adopt modern technology.
On Saturday, Mr Somsavat and his party visited the commercial rice plantations of the Phanphet Agriculture Development Company in Nahay village, Hadxaifong district, Vientiane.
This visit was warmly welcomed by the Vice Vientiane Mayor, officials and local farmers, as well as company representatives.
Phanphet Agriculture Development is a rice seed producer and supplies farmers in the area, company president Mr Tho ngsavanh Bounmy said.
They began producing rice seeds in 2008 and so far have received funds of over 300 million kip for this work.
In previous years, the company grew enough seed to plant out 300 hectares but last year it hit a high of 700 hectares for the wet season crop.
It has now fully mechanised its seed production from planting through to harvesting.
