Laos has several hundred locally made products for export but it will take some time before they are marketable internationally, according to the Minister of Industry and Commerce.
Speaking at the National Assembly recently, Mrs Khemmani Pholsena said that at present Laos produces 626 locally made items, known as “One District, One Product” (ODOP) goods, which the government wants to promote on the international market.
“[The ministry] promotes market access for ODOP goods by organizing local and central level trade fairs, in addition, the ministry helps process to exhibit their goods at trade fairs in the other countries”, she added.
Mrs Khemmani said that about 157 villages in 83 districts are taking part in government efforts to promote its ODOP scheme.
According to the minister, although Laos has many products that the government would like to sell internationally, it will be some time before they can be successfully exported on the global market.
She said one of the challenges faced in exporting locally made goods is that producers do not know how to make the packaging more attractive than eye catching.
Another setback is that producers do not have food and drug certificates from Lao authorities. According to international trade rules, business must provide recipient countries with drug and food certification before getting permission to sell their goods in those countries.
Mrs. Khemmani said the commerce ministry would coordinate with the Ministry of Health to issue drug and food certificates for locally made goods so that businesspeople can export them.
She said China was a potential market for those products, adding that the huge neighboring country welcomes goods from Laos. However, it insists that products ae certified as being clean and healthy.
To promote SME products, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has launched a website called PLAOSME as online platform where SME owners can advertise their products and find buyers both in Laos and internationally.
Mrs Khemmani said the ministry is also promoting ODOP products at tourist attractions in Vientiane and other large towns, hopping that visitors will buy them as souvenirs. This kind of trade is considered to be part of the effort to export locally made goods.
