Vientiane (VNA) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is teaming up with Laos to unlock the country’s chilli export potential, targeting China and the Republic of Korea as initial key markets.
The push falls under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiHI) initiative, designed to attract investment, improve agricultural value chains and raise farmers' incomes.
On July 1, both sides convened a chilli value chain data workshop to size up production potential, identify supply chain bottlenecks and chart a roadmap toward meeting international standards. According to FAO, chilli has been selected as a priority commodity as it can generate higher value, reduce poverty and support sustainable rural livelihoods.
Laos has around 15.4 million ha of land suitable for chilli cultivation. However, production remains dominated by smallholders, making it tough to meet international quality. Some contract-based farming models involving foreign investors have demonstrated that adopting improved technologies and high-yielding varieties can sharply boost productivity.
Through the FAO-supported initiative, Laos aims to develop a modern chilli pepper industry that complies with international standards, expands exports and raises farmers' incomes./.
