Demand for organic products soars in Savannakhet
Demand for organic products soars in Savannakhet
The Savannakhet provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department is continuing to promote the cultivation of organically farmed crops after seeing a surge in the market for this type of produce.
Department Director Mr Khamloui Nhattivong told Vientiane Times yesterday that the market for organically grown vegetables was increasing rapidly while organic farmers' groups were expanding in order to extend the market both locally and in neighbouring countries.
We are continuing to encourage farmers to grow organic produce for local markets and for markets across the border in the near future, he said.
The department is working with the Savannakhet Industry and Commerce Department to survey the demand among local people and foreigners. They have found that all kinds of organic vegetables sold at various locations and times each week are snapped up by customers.
There are 16 organic vegetable groups in Savannakhet province. Each week they sell their produce at markets in the provincial capital as well as the Savannakhet Agriculture and Forestry Department and on every occasion they sell out of everything, Mr Khamloui said.
He added that he had firsthand experience of this as he had seen the empty baskets of the farmers who sold their produce in front of his office.
The department and other involved sectors are now planning to enlarge the farmers' groups so they can grow more vegetables, but their expansion depends on people's circumstances and local conditions.
Each organic vegetable group consists of four to five families, so any expansion would depend on their budget, water supply and other factors. But Savannakhet is a large town so I believe there will be a lot of people wanting to join these groups, Mr Khamloui said.
An organic farmer in Xayphouthong district said most customers were interested in buying seasonal produce as these crops were difficult to find in Kaysone Phomvihane district. Every time he put seasonal vegetables on sale they always sold out before other items.
Mr Khamloui said the produce was inspected by officials from the department and the Plantation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Vegetables were also inspected by Thai experts and most of them were pronounced as being of good quality before the Plantation Department issued certificates to organic vegetable groups in Savannakhet province.
One of the most important things we're paying attention to is to avoid importing vegetables from neighbouring countries. We're also stressing the fact that organically grown vegetables are especially healthy, he added.
On Monday, the International Trade and Exhibition Convention Centre in Savannakhet province announced it would bring organic vegetables to the Tang Freres Lao Supermart located at the centre.
This will bring the vegetables to the attention of international shoppers and they will be sold to more foreign resident and visitors, Mr Khamloui said.
Organically farmed vegetables are on sale at the Daoheuang market on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Lassavongxay market at weekends, and at the Agriculture Departments on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week.
In the future growers will supply organic vegetables to the Tang Freres Lao Supermart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays each week, so health conscious shoppers will be able to buy organic vegetables throughout the week.
