SBR- Content.pmd - INBO

State of the Basin Report - 2003In Lao PDR, the maize planting area hasfluctuated over the 1990s, although yieldshave increased substantially. Mungbeanproduction has declined considerablybecause of poor local markets. As far asindustrial crops are concerned, coffee andsugarcane production increased by averageannual rates of 22.3 percent and 36.7 percent,respectively, between 1996 and 2000. 59These increases have resulted more fromimproving yields than expanded productionareas. Coffee is the major agricultural exportearner, and despite increasing yields, there Maize is the most common non-rice crop in Cambodiaare serious problems with quality control,with the result that Lao PDR coffee export prices are 10 percent less than world market prices. 60 Teaproduction has declined by 23.5 percent per annum and cotton by 12.2 percent. This has also been inresponse to market conditions. 61 Vegetable production has increased rapidly, mainly driven by demandin urban centres and exports to Thailand.Table 11. Lao PDR selected non-rice crops, 1990-2000Item Crop Area Production Yield(‘000 ha) (‘000 tonne) (tonne/ha)1990 1999 1990 1999 1990 1999Maize 48.1 40.7 81.77 96.052 1.7 2.36Starchy roots 19.8 13.1 162.756 80.565 8.22 6.15Vegetables/beans 7.9 41.1 60.672 235.914 7.68 5.74Mungbeans 4.6 1.7 2.622 1.496 0.57 0.88Soybeans 5.6 6.8 4.48 5.916 0.8 0.87Peanuts 8.5 12.9 7.99 13.029 0.94 1.01Tobacco 12.0 4.3 58.44 23.392 4.87 5.44Cotton 6.9 4.4 4.968 4.312 0.72 0.98Sugarcane 4.0 4.7 111.92 173.618 27.98 36.94Coffee 17.3 42.3 5.363 17.343 0.31 0.41Tea 0.4 0.9 1.6 0.396 4.0 0.44Source: Lao PDR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 2000160