Post by Laoupdate on May 16, 2005 2:29:03 GMT -5
First organic cooking-oil factory
Keoxomphou Sakdavong
The first organic Lao cooking-oil factory, which is expected to create about 300,000 jobs for Lao people, will be set up soon in Vientiane . The owner is banking on the organic factor as its unique selling point.
Wilaikul International Group, which is a 100 percent American owned company, is now in the process of promoting soybean plantation using organic methods in order to support its cooking-oil factory which it plans to set up at the end of 2006.
The factory will be capable of producing 34,700 littres per day, using about 288 tonnes of soybean per day or about 100,000 tonnes of soybean per year.
gThis project will create about 300,000 jobs for Lao people including farmers, transporters and workers in factories ,h said the Viengxay Wilaikulul, the president and CEO of Wilaikul International Group ( USA ). The factory will also encourage other industries such as bottle manufacturing as the factory will need about 34,700 bottles a day . Others to benefit will include packaging industries and animal feed manufacturers.
The company started promoting the plantation in June last year, but there was little interest in the beginning. gHowever after the first season, now the interest of local people in growing soybean has increased immensely,h said Mr Viengxay.
gWe are also quite sure that we will have enough soybean for our cooking-oil factory when it is set up as now there are many people who grow or are interested to grow it,h said Mr Viengxay.
He said that in Luang Prabang last year, there were about 1,700 hectares of farmland growing soybean. However, this year the figure jumped to about 12,000 hectares in one season. gThis is because people see their friends making bigger profits and achieving more success; so they also become interested in growing them,h said Mr Viengxay. Provinces growing soybean include Xayaboury, Xieng Khuang and Vientiane .
Mr Viengxay said more people in the north grow soybean as it yields more profit than rice, and many people are also disappointed in growing other crops since they don't have permanent markets for their produce.
Soybean takes about 3 months to harvest, and can be grown in wet and dry seasons (where there is irrigation). A hectare (6.2 rai) needs 520,000 kip of investment which includes soybean seeds and Rhizobium (chemical free fertiliser), which the company provides for the farmers on credit. Farmers are also given technical training by the company.
The harvest averages 2 tonnes of soybean per hectare. The company buys them from the farmers at 2,000 kip per kilo, or about 4 million kip per hectare.
As there is not enough soybean grown yet for the factory to be economically viable, the company currently exports the beans to Thailand and China at the price of 3,180 kip gWe get very little profit, as we have to pay for many payments like transportation, care and selecting the quality seeds, and other services before sending them to the markets,h he said.
gHowever, our purpose is not to buy soybeans for selling, but we want to promote soybean plantation to make our cooking-oil factory viable,h he said.
gThe organic factor makes us stand out in the cooking-oil markets, especially abroad, as organic products are in demand in developed countries and this is an increasing trend,h said Mr Viengxay.
He believes in the market and supply of his cooking oil. g Laos also imports a lot of cooking oil every year; however the overseas market is our main target,h he said.
He said that the factory will also use modern machinery in production that will ensure the product's quality and competitive price.
Mr Viengxay is of Lao origin who is now an American national. He stayed in the United States for about 25 years.
He is an engineer who has run some businesses in Thailand including export of cooking-oil from Thailand to Laos and America .
gWhen I entered Laos , I saw that there are many opportunities here, especially in organic products, as everything is still fresh here. The land is naturally fertilized and does not need chemicals, unlike other countries, and that makes us stand out,h he said. gSo I decided to come here to search for opportunities and to help my motherland,h said Mr Viengxay.
gI saw that many local people staying in remote areas are still very poor. I would like to help them,h he said. gSoybean can also help improve the soil, and this will create permanent cultivation and reduce slash and burn,h he said. gI feel very sad seeing the forests burned; I hope that soybean plantation will reduce this,h he added.
gAs I am also a son of Laos , it is my dream and happiness if I can help my country and the Lao people,h added Viengxay.
Source:Vientianetimes.org.la
Keoxomphou Sakdavong
The first organic Lao cooking-oil factory, which is expected to create about 300,000 jobs for Lao people, will be set up soon in Vientiane . The owner is banking on the organic factor as its unique selling point.
Wilaikul International Group, which is a 100 percent American owned company, is now in the process of promoting soybean plantation using organic methods in order to support its cooking-oil factory which it plans to set up at the end of 2006.
The factory will be capable of producing 34,700 littres per day, using about 288 tonnes of soybean per day or about 100,000 tonnes of soybean per year.
gThis project will create about 300,000 jobs for Lao people including farmers, transporters and workers in factories ,h said the Viengxay Wilaikulul, the president and CEO of Wilaikul International Group ( USA ). The factory will also encourage other industries such as bottle manufacturing as the factory will need about 34,700 bottles a day . Others to benefit will include packaging industries and animal feed manufacturers.
The company started promoting the plantation in June last year, but there was little interest in the beginning. gHowever after the first season, now the interest of local people in growing soybean has increased immensely,h said Mr Viengxay.
gWe are also quite sure that we will have enough soybean for our cooking-oil factory when it is set up as now there are many people who grow or are interested to grow it,h said Mr Viengxay.
He said that in Luang Prabang last year, there were about 1,700 hectares of farmland growing soybean. However, this year the figure jumped to about 12,000 hectares in one season. gThis is because people see their friends making bigger profits and achieving more success; so they also become interested in growing them,h said Mr Viengxay. Provinces growing soybean include Xayaboury, Xieng Khuang and Vientiane .
Mr Viengxay said more people in the north grow soybean as it yields more profit than rice, and many people are also disappointed in growing other crops since they don't have permanent markets for their produce.
Soybean takes about 3 months to harvest, and can be grown in wet and dry seasons (where there is irrigation). A hectare (6.2 rai) needs 520,000 kip of investment which includes soybean seeds and Rhizobium (chemical free fertiliser), which the company provides for the farmers on credit. Farmers are also given technical training by the company.
The harvest averages 2 tonnes of soybean per hectare. The company buys them from the farmers at 2,000 kip per kilo, or about 4 million kip per hectare.
As there is not enough soybean grown yet for the factory to be economically viable, the company currently exports the beans to Thailand and China at the price of 3,180 kip gWe get very little profit, as we have to pay for many payments like transportation, care and selecting the quality seeds, and other services before sending them to the markets,h he said.
gHowever, our purpose is not to buy soybeans for selling, but we want to promote soybean plantation to make our cooking-oil factory viable,h he said.
gThe organic factor makes us stand out in the cooking-oil markets, especially abroad, as organic products are in demand in developed countries and this is an increasing trend,h said Mr Viengxay.
He believes in the market and supply of his cooking oil. g Laos also imports a lot of cooking oil every year; however the overseas market is our main target,h he said.
He said that the factory will also use modern machinery in production that will ensure the product's quality and competitive price.
Mr Viengxay is of Lao origin who is now an American national. He stayed in the United States for about 25 years.
He is an engineer who has run some businesses in Thailand including export of cooking-oil from Thailand to Laos and America .
gWhen I entered Laos , I saw that there are many opportunities here, especially in organic products, as everything is still fresh here. The land is naturally fertilized and does not need chemicals, unlike other countries, and that makes us stand out,h he said. gSo I decided to come here to search for opportunities and to help my motherland,h said Mr Viengxay.
gI saw that many local people staying in remote areas are still very poor. I would like to help them,h he said. gSoybean can also help improve the soil, and this will create permanent cultivation and reduce slash and burn,h he said. gI feel very sad seeing the forests burned; I hope that soybean plantation will reduce this,h he added.
gAs I am also a son of Laos , it is my dream and happiness if I can help my country and the Lao people,h added Viengxay.
Source:Vientianetimes.org.la
, i would love to have some more information about this , so i can turn my emty land in laos in to soybean field , so my cousin in laos would have recular in come by growing soybean, 
