Laos agrees to Chinese livestock standards for export

The Lao government and a Chinese company have agreed to cooperate on the sectors of technical and veterinarian services to improve livestock quality for export to China.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on March 31 signed an agreement with ABC Investment Management Consultant Sole Co., LTD on cooperation for technical improvement and veterinarian services to increase Lao livestock opportunities to access entry into the Chinese market.
An agreement was signed by Director of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Mrs Vilayphone Voraphim, and Director of ABC Investment Management, Mr Zhang Zheng and witnessed by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Phet Phomphiphak.
Under the agreement, the two partners will develop and improve legislation, technical standards related to research and management of animal diseases in Laos., upgrading the existing animal disease laboratories to obtain CMA and CNAS certifications within two years, compete animal diseases surveys within 2 years, publish animal records, and livestock growth forecasts.
Building up the mechanism for emergency team response on animal diseases and ensuring the expansion of animal husbandry.
Researching, analysis genes as well as keeping track of diseased animal genetics in order to develop vaccines against livestock diseases in Laos.
For veterinarian services, the two sides will develop the registration of Laos’ livestock records to be able to connect to China’s livestock system in the form of attaching an ear number for all livestock via FRID.
Laos and China will jointly manage the animal disease laboratories in Vientiane and other provinces of Luang Namtha, and Phonsary.
Training veterinarians working at laboratories and related fields to increase capacity in the diagnosis of animal health services.
Speaking at the agreement ceremony Mr Phet said, under development plans in the agriculture sector, the ministry is setting up production of meat, eggs and fish which should reach at least 577,000 tonnes by 2025, of which the country’s population should consume at least 73 kg of meat yearly, in top of 250,000 cows to export the for next five years.
Therefore, Mr Phet added this cooperation will help in pushing forward improving Laos’ livestock standards, increasing chances to achieve a certification to export to China as well as expanding more access to meat in Laos.
Laos plans to send the first shipment of 3,000 cattle to China at the end of this month if there is no further spread of Covid-19.
This year Laos plans to sell 100,000 head of cattle to China as part of a 500,000 head quota agreement between the Lao and Chinese governments.
In 2022, Laos will sell 200,000 cattle and another 200,000 in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update April 2, 2021)