SDPM dialogues with senior officials of Ministry of Industry and Commerce

(KPL) Standing Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, had a dialogue with the senior officials of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in Vientiane on 21 August.
Mr Somsavad said that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should liaise with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to motivate farmers to process their raw products.
Mr Somsavad said that in order to implement the Party’s policy so that they become a reality, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should have processing factories and the markets for the processed products.
During this dialogue session the Standing Deputy Prime Minister heard a report from Mr Bounleuam Nhongvongsithi, the Deputy Director of the Economic Research Institute for Trade of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
Mr Bounleuam said that the Industry and Commerce sector should promote industrial and agricultural processing, link the building of factories to agriculture raw source, select the most suitable types of factories, build the marketing mechanisms and have liberal tax policies.
The role of the state is to supply information on the technical aspects and marketing research results to the agricultural sector.
The agricultural sector should have a well defined animal-crops quarantine system and to promote agricultural and animal husbandry.
In 1975, 80 per cent of the Lao economy was agriculture and animal husbandry but in 2008 the GDP from agriculture comprised 42 per cent.