Vegetable supplies sufficient despite cultivation drop
Vegetable supplies sufficient despite cultivation drop
Vientiane farmers are still producing a sufficient supply of most vegetables and cash crops to meet market demands despite the planting area having decreased compared to the wet season.
However, some crops have to be trucked in from other provinces due to shortages, a Vientiane agriculture section official told Vientiane Times on Wednesday.
The crops for which there is a shortage in the capital's markets include cabbage, Chinese cabbage and large onions, which are comparatively difficult to produce compared to other crops.
In fiscal year 2015-2016, the agriculture sector encouraged Vientiane farmers to grow 10,200 hectares of vegetables and cash crops targeting 102,000 tonnes of produce.
However compared to fiscal year 2014-2015 this represented a five percent decline, according to a recent Vientiane economic development report.
The reason for the decline locally was attributed largely to the fact that the overall agricultural area under cultivation in Vientiane and surrounds has declined as some areas are repurposed for construction projects and other developments.
To guarantee a sufficient and sustainable supply of vegetables and other crops to local markets, Vientiane officials have planned to encourage farmers to grow 11,200 hectares of crops targeting a total yield of 115,500 tonnes of produce.
Some crops and fruits have to be imported from neighbouring countries as Vientiane's potential cannot supply the market.
These crops and fruits include apples, oranges, grapes, dragon fruit, mangoes and sweet tamarinds.
The price of crops and vegetables tends to rise when there is a shortage of market supply and conversely, goes down when there is an oversupply.
The government is controlling the price of a variety of products in local markets but vegetables do not have price controls imposed because their sale prices vary considerably depending on the season and also societal demand.
Despite Vientiane farmers being able to produce sufficient vegetables and crops to supply local markets some traders are still illegally importing goods from neighbouring countries for sale in markets and restaurants, according to a Vientiane agricultural official.
Traders are still illegally importing produce as the prices of vegetables from neighbouring countries remain cheaper than those in Laos.
Most Lao farmers are still producing only for small business or family business, and lack the funds to expand, especially when it comes to purchasing seeds and fertiliser.
Meanwhile farmers from neighbouring countries operate on an industrial scale, which enables them to sell their produce for cheaper prices.
In local markets, the price of onions and coriander remained at about 10,000 kip per kg, lettuce was selling for 8,000 kip, Chinese cabbage for 5,000 kip, while melons, limes, tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes were retailing for 6,000 kip per kg.
