Laos govt to allow foreign investment in rice cultivation
- Vientiane Times
- 22 Aug 2009
Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce confirms that his government is in negotiations with Thailand to join a rice land deal with Kuwait.
Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce confirms that his government is in negotiations with Thailand to join a rice land deal with Kuwait.
The Government of Thailand has uncovered evidence suggesting foreigners could have obtained illegal ownership of about 10,000 rai (1,600 ha) of farmland in the central region and employed farmers to grow crops there.
Laos has approached Thailand as a partner in a joint venture with Kuwait to grow rice in Laos. The Lao government has allocated 200,000ha.
Thailand is poised to establish joint ventures with Gulf states to secure rice, processed agricultural products and food supplies for the oil-rich countries. But the government has reiterated that foreigners will not be allowed to invest in farming and livestock businesses in Thailand.
Kuwait has recently shown an interest in doing rice business in Laos, but Vientiane wants Thailand to be its partner,
Yes, we should be concerned about the farmers' rapid loss of land. But aren't we pointing the finger in the wrong direction?
The Thai government has reiterated it will do everything in its power to keep the country's rice farming land out of the hands of foreign investors.
Foras Investment Company conducted a pre-feasibility study on rice plantation in Mauritania in 2008. The aim of the study is to sieze the opportunity of setting up a rice farm on 2000 hectares in Rosso area.
Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has not found evidence to confirm claims that foreigners are using Thai nominees to buy farmland in Thailand.
It seems that the mere mention of foreigners about to snap up our farmland to grow rice will make our blood of patriotism boil instantly. Yet, the same hostile attitude has never been detected from the Thai public or bureaucracy when big swathes of farmland are bought by Thai businessmen in order to transform them into housing or industrial estates.
Thai farmers were justified when they told television news they did not agree with the proposal of letting the Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) start its own farms in Thailand.
Thai exporters are concerned about the "land-grabbing colonialism" strategy being used by developed nations such as South Korea to reap benefits from agricultural goods grown in a second country and exported to other nations.
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