Charcoal manufacturer increasing mai tiew plantations for exports
Charcoal manufacturer increasing mai tiew plantations for exports
A white charcoal manufacturer plans to increase mai tiew tree ( Cratexylon prunitfolium ) plantations by more than 100 hectares over th e next year in order to secure raw materials for exports.
Nowadays, local charcoal is popular with Japanese customers at barbeques, restaurants, hotels, food processing companies together with the copper industry. Laos' charcoal is especially well regarded for its intense flame with no sparking.
Demand for Lao charcoal is expected to increase in the future so the local company is planting more mai tiew trees.
However, local producers still had to understand the overseas market otherwise customers could go to Vietnam where the charcoal price was lower, according to the Plantation and Charcoal Processing Co., Ltd.
“Although demand for white charcoal in Japan has increased ra pidly over recent years, the company was able to supply only about 25 percent of the demand, Company Director Mr Yasushi Seura said at a mai tiew planting ceremony in Huana village, Xaythany district to mark National Arbor Day earlier this month.
“Our company can export 125 tonnes of white charcoal per month or about 1,500 tonnes per year, of which 500 tonnes is exported to Japan where it is used in restaurants for grilling and barbequing,” he added.
Mai tiew trees help people earn an income because they are able to sell them to the company, which processes the white charcoal.
But, one of the main challenges was the supply of the raw materials so it was encouraging local people to grow more mai tiew trees under a two plus three policy, Mr Seura said.
The two plus three policy is a government initiative which encourages investors and land owners to partner and develop industrial tree plantations.
The two plus three policy refers to a framework where farmers must provide land and the labour force; while investors provide the funds, technical support and a ready market for the tree growers.
“We have operated in Laos since 2009. The company has already grown more than 330 hectares of mai tiew trees, with 50,000 on 20 hectares of land in Xaythany district, Vientiane and 75,000 in Borikhamxay province,” Mr Seura explained.
Next year, the company planned to encourage farmers to grow 250,000 mai tiew seedlings on 100 hectares to supply the company to produce and export white and black charcoal to Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand and China, he added.
As part of this m onth's tree planting activity the company also donated educational materials and uniforms to students at Huana School in the district.
