Agricultural commodities, processing and products

Battling drought, debt and ailments blamed on pesticides, rice farmers in northern Thailand have turned to eco-friendly growing methods despite powerful agribusiness interests in a country that is one of the top exporters of the grain in the world. Walking through a sea of green waist-high ...

Used in everyday products, such as tyres, yoga mats, shoes and condoms – global natural rubber production is lacking the transparency and subsequent sustainability commitments to protect both people and wildlife. That is the finding of the world’s first analysis of the natural rubber industry undertaken ...

Farmers and producers in Vientiane hope to expand their markets after the government arranged a fair to promote their products and boost sales. The Lao Agricultural and Domestic Products Fair took place last weekend in the Lao-ITECC parking lot. The fair was organised by the Vientiane Administration ...

Rubber growers and exporters have expressed concern that prices will continue to fall as Thailand seeks to boost its natural rubber exports, industry insider Men Sopheak said. In March, the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC), which comprises Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, agreed to reduce rubber exports ...

As a national policy on cassava production nears finalisation, the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on farmers to grow cassava. The government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on farmers to grow cassava as a national policy on ...

The struggling Thailand economy received an unexpected whack for the year ahead yesterday (Oct 26) when US President Donald Trump suspended $1.3 billion worth of duty-free trade for Thai items, including seafood, under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme. President Trump is reported to have ...

In 2017, the Lao government ordered the closure of the country’s Chinese-owned banana farms following reports of pollution and workers falling ill after being exposed to dangerous chemicals. Firms already operating in the country were allowed to stay open until their contracts expired. The ban prohibited ...

In villages around the city of Buon Ma Thuot, Vietnamese farmers wait for the monsoon that normally arrives in April or May. “The fruits look ripe outside, but the bean is crispy and small because there was not enough rain,” says 28-year-old Y Bel Eban from Krong village, ...

After profound advances in manufacturing and services, most observers now believe that Vietnam is well-positioned to meet its principal Vision 2035 goal of achieving upper middle-income status. But sustained agricultural gains are by no means assured. Key agricultural officials recognise this. In 2013, the governmentintroduced an ‘agricultural restructuring’ ...

A ceremony to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Myanmar and Italy to cooperate in the water management in the farming sector and development of mechanized farming, was held in Nay Pyi Taw on August 2, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and ...