Beef consumption outstrips supply in Vientiane

The demand for beef in Vientiane is high but local farms are only able to meet about 10 percent of the market's needs, excluding beef shipped in from the provinces, a local businessman has said. “Vientiane alone needs more than 500 cattle to supply its slaughterhous es to meet daily consumption needs,” the owner of Patthana Farm in Sangthong district, MrSysouphanhChanthalath, told Vientiane Times last week. MrSysouphanh, who is Vice President of the Vientiane Cattle Breeding and Entrepreneurs' Association, was speaking on behalf of the association. He went on to say that long-term low interest bank loans were key to ensuring a sufficient supply of beef. “Nowadays not many people dare to invest in breeding cattle. It takes a couple of years to make a profit, but the market price of beef shows no sign of decreasing even though the price of other products fluctuates,” MrSysouphanh said. He said that if banks would allow a longer loan repayment time, it would open up opportunities for more people to invest in livestock breeding. Vientiane Times reporters went to Sangthong district to observe developments in agriculture and interviewed various people working in different sectors. MrSysouphanh added that the demand for beef was not only high in Laos but neighbouring countries including Vietnam and China also wanted to buy beef from Laos. “Frankly, we only have the capacity to supply about 10 percent of the beef needed by Vientiane's markets. The rest comes from the provinces,” he said. The farmer now owns more than 100 head of cattle, all of which he sells to buyers in Vientiane. He has put more than 5 billion kip into expanding his farm to more than 25 hectares, where he keeps cattle, goats and some lambs. When Laos is an active part of the Asean Economic Community, it will mean that more people come to Laos and the demand for meat will increase, especially for beef, he said. The Vientiane Cattle Breeding and Entrepreneurs' Association now has 25 cattle farms as members, whose owners raise more than 1,300 animals between them. MrSysouphanh said most Lao people prefer to eat beef rather than other meat, so it is worth investing in cattle farming. “I would like to raise more than 200 to 300 cattle a year. I'd like to focus on supplying young animals to restaurants that roast a whole carcass for their customers, and raise more cattle to sell to other farms in Vientiane,” he added. He said Sangthong district was one of the best places in Vientiane for livestock breeding because of the fine weather, fertile soil for grass cultivation, and for agriculture in general. The price of beef on sale in Vientiane markets ranges from 65,000 kip to 70,000 kip, although prices may be different in some provincial markets.