Lao People's Democratic Republic (the)

General Information

· Main climates: Tropical Wet, Tropical Wet and Dry

· Total land area of 23 080 000 ha

· Internal renewable water resources: 270 km³

· GNP per capita, 1998: PPP$ 1 683

· Main food consumed: Rice, Meat, Roots and Tubers, Maize, Pulses

· Rice supply, 1999: 256.9 kg paddy/capita/year

Basic Statistics

Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons

In the northern region, slash-and-burn upland rice is dominant, while the rainfed lowland rice is dominant in central and southern regions of the country. Irrigated rice is mostly found in central region. Following table shows the rice-harvested areas from different producing zones.

Rice is mostly planted during the main or wet season. Only in limited areas, having irrigation, a second rice crop is grown.

Large rainfed lowland rice areas are on terraces, where they are further grouped into upper, middle and lower terraces. Early maturing varieties are usually planted in upper terraces due to water shortage at the end of the rainy season. Therefore, the rice harvest takes place in upper terraces first, then in the middle and finally in the lower terraces.

Production Practices

The following figure shows the harvested areas from different rice ecologies during 1995-2000 period. Most rice production in Laos has been based on systems of minimum inputs, concentrating on family labour. It is estimated that about 85 percent of total rice production in Laos are of glutinous types.

Between 1970 and 1990, collecting missions collected over 3 000 samples of cultivated traditional rice. Between 1995 and early 1999, a total of 12 555 samples of cultivated rice and 236 samples of wild rice were collected throughout the country. Prior to 1993, traditional varieties predominated. Traditionally, farmers grow a number of varieties in the same field, with each variety confined to a small plot to reduce risk, distribute labour demand, and meet specific consumption requirements.

· Known planted varieties

By 1999, almost 70 percent of the lowland rice area in the Mekong River Valley were being planted to improved varieties; in the uplands; traditional varieties are still being grown. Both TDK-1 and PNG-1 are widely grown in the provinces of the Mekong River Valley. TDK-2 has more specific adaptability and has performed best in some northern provinces (Phongsaly and Houaphanh).

Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production

• Drought stresses under rainfed conditions.

• Sandy and infertile soils.

• Heavy rains during August and September usually cause flash floods.

• Blast, bacterial leaf blight and brown spot.

• Gall midge, brown plant hopper (BPH), green leafhopper (GLH) and stem borers.

The steady yield increase during the last five years indicates the potential for sustainable rice production with the development of irrigation infrastructures and the application of production inputs, especially improved varieties and nitrogen fertilizers.

Research and Development Institutes

· Haddokea Research Station, Haddokea

· Department of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Vientiane, Vientiane, Phone (856) 21-41-2350 Fax: (856)-21-41-2349

· Centre de la recherche nationale, Naphok

· International Rice Research Institute, Laos office P.O. Box 4195 Vientiane Phone: (21) 9107 Telex: TX BOOTH LS 14491 Fax: (856-21) 9107

· Pankang Agricultural Cooperative Hatxayfong District, Vientiane

· Rice Research Station Salakhalm, Salakhalm, Vientiane Salakha

· Thaneleng Agricultural Cooperative, Hatxayfong District, Vientiane

· Vientiane Plain Experiment Farm, Vientiane

· Direction de l'agriculture, Ministere de l'economie et de la planification, Bureau de la recherche agricole Vientian