Proceedings of the Asia regional workshop on the

Before 1988, only <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and Forestry was responsible for imports <strong>of</strong>
pesticide. Presently, pesticides are imported through three channels such as:
a. Private companies who are formally registered with commerce authorities.
b. Smuggling from neighboring countries in to Lao PDR by traders or farmers.
c. Introduction by <strong>the</strong> international assistances programme and donors.
In order to make great contribution to agricultural development and supply <strong>of</strong> raw materials
to <strong>the</strong> industrial sector for domestic requirement, <strong>the</strong> government set <strong>the</strong> policy <strong>of</strong> promoting <strong>the</strong>
commodity production and also initiative <strong>of</strong> clean agriculture production to farmers by <strong>the</strong>
appropriate IPM techniques, minimizing <strong>the</strong> chemical control and promoting <strong>the</strong> biodiversity
conservation in Lao PDR.
Regulatory work
In 2000, Regulation on Use and Management <strong>of</strong> Pesticides in Lao PDR, No. 0886/MAF,
dated 10 March 2000 was promulgated by <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and Forestry with <strong>the</strong> objective
<strong>of</strong> managing all kinds <strong>of</strong> pesticides in <strong>the</strong> country. This has been used as <strong>the</strong> reference for <strong>the</strong>
pesticides management. The WHO Recommended Classification <strong>of</strong> Pesticide by Hazard and FAO
Guideline to Classification 1994-1995 were recognized by <strong>the</strong> Government <strong>of</strong> Lao PDR.
In 2002, Plant Protection Center was established for <strong>the</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> testing pre and post
harvest agriculture inputs, testing <strong>of</strong> chemical residues in agricultural products, testing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
imported pesticides, monitoring and diagnosis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> insects and <strong>the</strong>ir outbreak. Since <strong>the</strong>re is a lack
<strong>of</strong> technical staff and equipments, work at <strong>the</strong> center is currently implemented in very limited
aspects.
Legislation <strong>of</strong> pesticides
All kinds <strong>of</strong> pesticides imported and used or exported through Lao PDR are under <strong>the</strong>
responsibility and control <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and Forestry, which is <strong>the</strong> main mandate <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture. Both public and private sectors who has <strong>the</strong> purpose to import or
export pesticides have to be granted by Ministry <strong>of</strong> Agriculture and Forestry.
Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture is responsible for legislation <strong>of</strong> all kinds <strong>of</strong> imported pesticides.
Therefore, all shops who import pesticides for distribution in Lao PDR have to make formal
registration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pesticides such as quality, country <strong>of</strong> origin and simple <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> imported pesticides
and submitted to Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture for registration and import permission.
List <strong>of</strong> pesticides divided into 6 groups as follows:
1. Insecticides for thrips and insect control 19 kinds
2. Pesticides for rat control 3 kinds
3. Pesticides for golden apple snail 3 kinds
4. Fungicides 10 kinds
5. Herbicides 5 kinds
6. Pesticides for nematode 2 kinds
There are also 26 kinds <strong>of</strong> pesticides which are prohibited for usage in Lao PDR.
- 102 -