PRCI Southeast Asia workshop “The Export Potential of Laos Agri-Food to the EU Market”

March 03, 2022

On Feb 16, 2022. The workshop discussed policy gaps, challenges, and priorities for export facilitation and competitiveness in the agri-food sector in Laos.

Research Dissemination Workshop on “The Export Potential of Laos Agri-Food to the EU Market”

Date: February 16, 2022

Venue: 3rd floor meeting room, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Lao PDR

To understand the agriculture trade flow scenarios in Laos, Institute for Industry and Commerce (IIC) supported by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) under the Feed the Future Food Security Innovation Lab for Policy Research, Capacity, and Influence (PRCI) program conducted a workshop ‘The Export Potential of Laos Agri-Food to the EU Market’ to disseminate the results of the study on ‘Export Potential of Laos Agri-Food to the EU Market’. The workshop discussed policy gaps, challenges, and priorities for export facilitation and competitiveness in the agri-food sector in Laos.

Introduction

During the past few decades, Laos has made significant efforts to develop and expand its export of agricultural products. Agricultural export, though, is not as large as natural resource-based exports (mining and hydropower) in terms of exporting values. Since Laos joined the Association of South East Asia Nation (ASEAN) in 1997, then the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2013, Laos has enjoyed preferential trade systems under ASEAN, comprehensive trade agreements in the region, and unreciprocated preferences like generalized system preferences (GSP) from developed countries. Over the last few decades, bilateral trade agreements and special preference received from dynamic neighboring countries such as China, Viet Nam and Thailand have also played an important role in increasing Laotian exports, particularly in the agricultural sectors. One key challenge for the Laotian export sector is that agricultural commodities exports are highly dependent on a few countries in the region. Laos primarily exports raw and intermediate products that are part of the manufacturing value chains of neighboring countries.

To understand the agriculture trade flow scenarios in Laos, Institute for Industry and Commerce (IIC) supported by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) under the Food Security Policy Research, Capacity, and Influence (PRCI) program conducted a study on ‘Export Potential of Laos Agri-Food to the EU Market’. One key dimension of the study is analyzing the export potential of Laos agri-food products to European countries, including critical requirements and composition of market access for exporting Laos agricultural products. Based on the analysis, the study provides policy recommendations for export facilitation in the agri-food sector.

Objectives

The main objectives of the workshop were to:

Discuss the findings of the study against the wider issues, challenges, and opportunities of agri-food sector in Laos
Formulate policy recommendations for export facilitation and competitiveness in the agrifood sector in Laos