The “durian move” to export to the Chinese market may not be a new thing in the ASEAN region, but an issue “Lao Durian” watched As a new variable comes in like high speed trains. By encouraging large-scale investment from Chinese capital, “scale” durian exports from southern Laos could be huge in the future. But this has also led to concerns about forest areas and environmental issues. And Laos itself has had an example of this before.
Nikkei news agency Asia interviewed “Tao Jian“, a Chinese businessman who came to invest in an empire of 50,000 durian orchards in southern Laos on the Bolaven Plateau. The region is famous as the main coffee growing area in Laos and is known as the “Coffee Capital” but soon there may be an opportunity to change its name to the capital of the king of fruits instead. When durian is becoming an economic crop more attractive than ever.
“I believe that Laos will become the fourth largest durian producer in the world after Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia,” said the 54-year-old Chinese investor.
Today, Chinese businessmen are coming to invest in durian orchards in Laos like this. hope to bring it back for sale in the Chinese market The variable that is one of the important motivating factors China-Laos high speed railway That helps to make transport faster and more convenient. and is expected to help Laos escape from being one of the poorest and least developed countries in Southeast Asia.
current “China has not yet opened the market for Laos to export durian. ” But the two countries are debating the issue and investors believe that China will open its market to Laos sooner or later. Local Chinese media had previously reported on the statement of Boonchan Khombunsit, Director General of the Department of Indoctrination. The Lao PDR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said on September 24 that Laos will soon be able to export durian to China as the two countries are preparing documents regarding the opening of the market.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), “China imports 95% of global durian exports,” and Chinese state media also reported that China imported durian from ASEAN countries there in 2023 only 6.7 billion dollars, or a 12-fold increase compared to 2017.
Durian consumption in a country with a billion people like China This has led many countries in ASEAN to accelerate their transition to the Chinese market over the past several years, such as “Thailand” Increase in durian cultivation three times in the last 12 years As for farmers “Vietnam” Abandoning traditional agricultural crops such as coffee, turning to growing durian instead, while “Malaysia” Converting rainforest areas to durian orchards But all this is still not enough. and it is an important reason for investors to go “Laos” To use landwith suitable climate, cheap labor, and still a lot of free space as a new large durian growing area for China.
Durian can sell for anywhere from $10 to hundreds of dollars per kilogram. It depends on the species. A healthy, mature durian tree can provide decades of beneficial fruit. But since it takes more than five years to bear fruit, durian gardening needs to be done carefully. Takes up a lot of space and a high investment in the long term
Although durian cultivation is not new in Laos, “Industrial scale agriculture” It only started about ten years ago. But with new variables like “Chinese investors” who know how to do business on a business level and still have the incentive to take investments out of the country.
Tao Jian had previously invested in real estate in China. But after I started seeing signs of a real estate crisis in 2017, I decided to move my money to find opportunities in a new country instead.
“My goal is to get out of China. But you have to invest in something related to China and get hold of the market with a demand of 1.4 billion people. “
“Jiarun” is another example of a property investment company. From China came to invest in the durian empire in Laos with the company. Jiarun Agricultural Development That was mentioned beforeIt plans to build the world’s largest durian orchard in Sanam Chai, Attapeu Province, southern Laos, and in 2022 signed a 50-year lease on a large 5,000-hectare piece of land from the Lao government, or more than Central Park in New York by 15 times, with the aim of using more than half of the area for durian orchards.
“We want to combine the Chinese agricultural model with Lao resources. Today, Southeast Asia is a land of opportunities. This is different from China where the room for growth is limited,” said He Ruijun, 42, the company’s deputy manager.
China has been the largest foreign investor in Laos since 2016, and investment flows will increase with the launch of the Laos-China rail link in 2021, a key part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) helping to reduce travel time from Vientiane to Kunming. There are less than 10 hours left.
“For fruit producers like us, the Laos-China train is very convenient. Because it saves both costs and time,” he said, transporting durian is a race against time. Because fresh, ripe fruit can spoil within a few days. So trains are the most cost effective and reliable way to transport durian. and proved to be “It can be a game changer for Thai durian.” Currently, more and more durian is being shipped to China via this route.
Opportunity comes with anxiety
However, the movement of growing durian may also need to be traded. “A high price to pay” According to local people and area experts, they are worried about itProblems of pollution, loss of forest areas and biological diversity
Miles Kenney-Lazar Academics from the University of Melbourne who study forest plantations in Southeast Asia, said that forest plantations cannot replace virgin forests. Some characteristics of a monoculture plantation can resemble a forest. But biodiversity is much less.
Japanese media reported that a group of residents in a community near Jiarun Farm said they did not know about the large durian orchard next door. There was no consultation before land concessions were granted. Those who heard the news had mixed feelings. Some are happy if the project is done properly and according to the law. Because it will benefit the national economy
But some are concernedenvironmental pollutionfrom industrial horticulture Especially regarding the use of chemicals. After Laos learned a lesson about chemical pollution frombanana plantationA large scale had already taken place around 2016, causing one to be careful about maintaining a balance between economic opportunities and potential impacts as well.
#Watch #Lao #durian #era #high #speed #trains #huge #capital #China
2024-10-23 00:38:00
