ODOP fair kicks off in Vientiane
ODOP fair kicks off in Vientiane
The third One District, One Product (ODOP) Fair kicked off in Vientiane at Lao-ITECC on Friday and will run until June 1, featuring 126 business units exhibiting products worth 1.5 billion kip.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the Vientiane Industry and Commerce Department, Mr Berlin Phetchantharath, said the number of businesses taking part in this year's event was 58 percent higher than last year, while the number of booths, at 181, was 16 percent more than last year.
“This year 34 Vientiane businesses have One District, One Product plaques, which is a 40 percent increase on last year. Of these 34 businesses, 32 are attending the fair,” he said.
Mr Berlin said the objective of the fair was to boost the number of ODOP products in Vientiane and to encourage ODOP products in Laos to become more well known domestically and internationally.
“We intend to promote the scheme throughout Laos and enhance the capacity of business units to become more sustainable,” he added.
In addition, ODOP units from 11 provinces are attending the fair, represented by 29 business units and 36 booths.
The fair features a wide range of consumer products and businesses are also selling saplings outside the old Lao-ITECC building.
The fair's organising committee also arranged a product contest in a bid to boost ODOP productivity and overall participation in the business sector.
The committee set three standards for contestants: production, quality of products, and marketing.
This year, 25 out of 34 units entered 46 products in the contest. The winner was the noni tea made by the Thipsavang Noni Juice Manufac turing Company.
Company owner Ms Buathip Homchandy received a certificate from the Vientiane Industry and Commerce Department, a prize of 700,000 kip and a free booth to display her products at the fair.
The runner up also received a certificate, 500,000 kip, and an 80 percent discount on booth fees, while the second runner up received a certificate, 350,000 kip and a 60 percent discount on booth fees.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Industry and Commerce Ms Khemmani Pholsena, representatives from Vientiane's trade sector and business units and staff from foreign embassies in Laos.
