Laos Joins Rice-Growing Project

Vientiane, Sept. 3 (Prensa Latina) Laos joined the project of creating an organization of rice-producing countries in Southeast Asia, which in the opinion of its promoters will strengthen the competitiveness of the grain in the region

Thai Minister of Commerce, Boonsong Teriyaphirom, one of the most active promoters, received approval of his peer from Lao Nam Viyaketh, during the recently held 44 ministerial conference of the Association of Nations (Asean) in Phnom Penh

With this addition there are now four the members of the bloc interested in this type of cooperation although Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam have already arranged themselves with the same purpose.

According to the project that will be firmly announced in the forthcoming ASEAN Summit in November, Thailand will support the Laotian rice industry with assistance for the development of plantations and harvest and processing techniques. But in the specific case of these bilateral ties, Boonsong further indicated his country's interest in purchasing corn for animal feed and retailing.

Meanwhile, a report by the Asian Development Bank, released in Manila, recommended reducing restrictions on rice exports in the region, and put less emphasis on self-sufficiency, in order to stabilize lowest prices in the market

According to this organization, it is expected that in normal weather conditions, the grass production among ASEAN countries grow 1.37 percent per year, from 110 million tonnes in 2010-2011 to 128 million tons by the 2012-2020, 47 million hectares of cropland to that date.