The Lao Agricultural and Domestic Products Fair took place last weekend in the Lao-ITECC parking lot.\u00a0The fair was organised by the Vientiane Administration and Ad Hoc Committee on Promoting Production and Consumption of Domestic Products and Consumer Goods Import Management.\u00a0The opening ceremony took place on Saturday morning and was attended by\u00a0officials, entrepreneurs, local\u00a0farmers and other groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fair aims to\u00a0encourage local people to use and consume local products. It also aims to expand markets for local producers and farmers,\u201d a Vientiane\u00a0official said.\u00a0\u201cThe event also allows local entrepreneurs and buyers to discuss their ideas and their needs. Producers\u00a0and farmers can benefit by exhibiting their goods to buyers at the same time,\u201d he added.\u00a0\u201cMany locally produced goods are of good quality but buyers don\u2019t know that, so this is a chance for producers to promote their goods to the public, which could ultimately help to reduce the amount of imported goods,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over 300 local business exhibited their goods at the fair, comprising agricultural\u00a0products such as organically farmed vegetables, ODOP products, processed products, and items produced by model families in Vientiane.\u00a0\u201cAs our committee was only established this year, this is the first fair for us. We plan to arrange the fair as a weekend market for every district in Vientiane in the future and we hope it will support local farmers and producers,\u201d said a representative of the Ad Hoc Committee on Promoting Production and Consumption of Domestic Products and Consumer Goods Import Management, Mr Tung A Synuanchanh.\u00a0\u201cAt present, we only plan to do this in Vientiane but of course we hope to stage fairs like this in the provinces in the future,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n