Laos will send its first citrus fruit shipment to China next year.

According to Socio-Economic News, citrus fruits grown in Laos, such as oranges, pomelo, and lemons, would be transported to China in the coming months.

The anticipated export comes after Phet Phomphiphak, the Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, and Ni Yuefeng, a senior Chinese customs official, signed a memorandum of agreement last week.

In an agreement worth $50 million, Laos is expecting to transport over 50,000 tons of citrus oranges to China.

Citrus fruits are grown on 3,600 hectares of land around the country, with 70% of crops produced purely for export.

In nine provinces across the country, citrus fruit is farmed for export: Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Xayaboury, Luang Prabang, Vientiane Province, Bolikhamxay, Savannakhet, Champasack, and Attapeu.

The province of Vientiane is also famous for its mandarin oranges.

In 2017, Australian citrus rootstock was shipped to Laos and planted in newly constructed nurseries, assisting Lao farmers in moving beyond subsistence farming.

Smallholder families may grow citrus commercially using optimal horticultural methods thanks to a program launched by Ironbark Laos.

Meanwhile, China is a major export market for Laos' agricultural products, accounting for more than 80% of total exports, including cassava, bananas, watermelon, sugarcane, and rubber.

The opening of the Laos-China Railway next month is intended to make exports from Laos and other Southeast Asian countries to China more easier.

Credit Source: The Laotian Times

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