Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

Table 1. Lao national agricultura1 production. 1991.
Crop Area Yield Production
(ha) (t/ha) (t)
1. Rice 628,253 2.34 1,491,495
2. Maize 36,245 2.00 72,609
3. Soybean 6,015 0.87 5,209
4. Mungbean 3,469 0.65 2,257
5. Peanuts 5,965 1.02 6,070
6. SUgar-cane 6,761 29.70 111,649
7. Tobacco 10,481 4.84 50,732
8. Cotton 8,027 0.59 4,749
9. Coffee 28,256 0.35 22,840
10. Vegetables 6,492 10.12 65,707
3. Varieties and cropping systems.
There are several varieties grown in the country. Local pest-resistant varieties of white
flint and waxy types are principally grown for food, and yellow flints for feed. Maize is
usually grown with several different maturing varieties and many times intercropped with other
field crops or perennials. Maize grown for food in the highlands supplements rice in the diet
and compensates for rice shortages.
There is considerable genetic diversity in the cultivars grown by farmers.
There are different cropping systems which can be observed in different regions and at
different altitudes. Cropping systems include:
Maize for human consumption grown in small plots, often in mixed cropping with other food
crops next to the village houses in the lowlands (waxy and sometimes sweet type),
Food maize grown on the river banks, often during the dry season, in pure stand or in mixed
cropping, using early cultivars of the waxy type for production of fresh cobs for sale at
neighboring markets (common around Vientiane, Luang Prabang, etc.),
Feed maize cultivated in pure stands on alluvial soils of the Vientiane plain for sale to
the Tha Ngon animal feed mill. This type is dominated by the improved variety HDK 4,
- Highland maize grown for food or for animal feed under shifting cultivation in association with
upland rice (harvested before rice) .. Some farmers have developed cropping techniques to grow
different varieties of maize with different maturities without mixing them.
The main disease problem in the lowland regions is the high incidence of the downy mildew.
The Asian corn borer is one of the most important insect pests.
4. Marketing and processing.
More than 50% of the corn is produced for human food consumption. The main barriers to
marketing are transportation, storage, processing, and food preparation. Most of the sweet
corn production is marketed fresh and as baby corn sold in the villages. It is either boiled or
roasted for home consumption.
In Laos farmers use both the sta"lk and the grain for feeding their animals. The Tha Ngon
Feedmill purchased a significant quantity of the grain from Muang Kasi and Vientiane prefecture.
SUrplus production from the northern prOVince is sold and consumed locally. The size of the
potential export market is presently limited by tariffs and high transport costs.
5. QJverraent policy.
With the introduction of the New Economic Mechanism promoting a more market-oriented
agriculture, maize is considered as one of the potential domestic cash crops. Feed maize is
being promoted for the agro-based industry development. Food maize is promoted as an alternative
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