Laos has seen a substantial growth in agriculture, which accountsfor 24.6 percent of the country’s total gross domestic product (GDP).
The country expects to earn over 394 million USD from agricultural exports in 2014 and even higher in the coming year.
Froma country with rice shortages before its liberation in 1975, Laosrecorded its rice output of 3.41 million tonnes in 2013, not onlymeeting domestic demands but also contributing to its export.
The country also witnessed a remarkable development in other crops such as corn, sugar cane, coffee and rubber.
In2012-2013 fiscal year, rubber exports brought 96.7 million USD toLaos , making it one of the country’s top export agricultural products.It was followed by fruits with 72 million USD, and coffee with 70million USD.
Under the strategy for agricultural development upto 2025 with a vision to 2030, the country plans to zone off 4.5 millionhectares for agricultural production, including 2 million hectares forrice growing.
Over the past 39 years, Vietnam and Laoshave seen strong collaboration in agricultural development, with anumber of joint projects on irrigation, water-rice growing, rubber andcoffee tree planting and animal husbandry.
Vietnam has providedpersonnel training for and transferred advanced technology to Laos, asan effort to help improve the quality and competitiveness of thelatter’s agricultural products on the threshold of the ASEAN EconomicCommunity, which is scheduled to be formed in late 2015.-VNA