VIENTIANE: Several Chinese businesses have expressed interest in growing durian in Laos to feed the surge in demand for the fruit among Chinese consumers.
China accounts for 91 per cent of global durian consumption, with most imported from Thailand.
But Chinese fruit producers are now turning towards neighbouring Laos as a potential supplier of the crop.
Chinese growers have asked the Lao Business Agency and the government to set up the Lao Durian Business Association to oversee and inspect the quality of durian grown for export to China.
The group of companies, led by Wang Jun, recently met with members of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Industry and Commerce to discuss the matter.
The Lao Durian Business Association would be responsible for selecting and grading durian, setting the sale price, identifying suitable seeds for the crop, and arranging transport and warehouse facilities.
Once the association is set up, durian business operators from Laos and China will select individuals to attend courses in China so they can learn about the best methods of cultivation.
To ensure that durian grown in Laos meets the same quality standards employed by neighbouring countries, the Chinese business group requested the establishment of the Lao Durian Business Association, the Lao Durian Vocational Association, and the Lao Durian Research Centre.
These entities will broaden the knowledge of growers about the best species of durian and crop diseases, so they will be able to select disease-resistant varieties and conduct studies that produce new varieties.
Growers will also learn about soil analysis and the use of bio-fertilisers to produce green products.
The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, and Industry and Commerce, agreed to support the establishment of these associations.
The durian industry has expanded rapidly in several Southeast Asian countries, but large-scale durian farming has only recently taken off in Laos, where the fruit is mostly grown in families’ backyards.
Durian farming in Laos has come a long way, but the country has not yet been allowed to export the fruit to China.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been authorised to export 17 kinds of crops to China and is proposing seven more crops for sale to China.
Under this arrangement, the Chinese government allows 98 per cent of agricultural produce to be imported tax-free.
However, all crops destined for export to China must undergo strict plant health checks before they can enter the country. - Vientiane Times/ANN
