Lao entrepreneurs examine China market
Lao entrepreneurs examine China market
The government has allocated main five products for export to China however production levels still remain limited compared to the of the markets accessible.
The focus products include rice, coffee, furniture, Lao beer and cassava powder, the Trade and Product Promotion Department's Director General, Mr Somvang Ninthavong told Vientiane Times yesterday.
Under the agreement between the Lao government and a Chinese company, last ye ar the country exported 8,000 tonnes of rice to China and 7,200 tonnes this year, Mr Somvang said.
Lao coffee is one of the country's high quality agricultural products which has ready acceptance in the Chinese market.
To promote the products for export to the Chinese market and better facilitate exports, it requires cooperation from different sectors, Mr Somvang stressed.
The first level requires the government to facilitate policy matters, regulations and other documents, the second requires scientific development and new technology, while entrepreneurs and farmers make up the third and fourth levels, he explained.
Laos and China are good neighbours, good friends and good development partners while the International Trade Centre (ITC) has potential for training Lao entrepr eneurs to understand how to export in China.
China is also a major market and the biggest foreign investor in Laos, which presents major opportunities for Lao entrepreneurs to boost cooperation and produce their products for entry into the Chinese market.
Mr Somvang believed that training will be useful for Lao entrepreneurs to develop their products according to international standards for export, understand the demands of the Chinese market and examine how they should prepare for trading.
The ITC is a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, acting as a development partner for small and medium-d businesses from developing countries and transition economies by connecting them to the global trading system.
Within this context, the ITC was approached by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to develop a training programme on how to export to China.
The training aims to provide SMEs from six Asian countries, those being Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal, with comprehensive materials and tools on the Chinese trade environment.
