Vientiane (VNA) – A number of Vietnam's rubber growing projects in the southern Lao province of Attapeu have produced positive results since 2008, contributing to the host country's socio-economic development.
Identifying rubber as a key pillar for socio-economic development in disadvantaged areas, the provincial authorities have granted licenses to five Vietnamese firms to grow rubber trees and build rubber processing plants in four districts since 2008.
Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture Phonepaseuth Thongsithavong hailed the Vietnamese rubber companies for bringing high economic efficiency and generating jobs for thousands of workers.
He stressed that they also pay attention to social welfare work, contributing to improving local lives and pushing forward the province's socio-economic development.
Attapeu is now home to over 15,564ha of rubber cultivation which yield 46,531 tonnes of rubber latex on average and earn more than 23 million USD from export each year.
In the near future, the province will continue offering extensive support for Vietnamese firms to do business there, contributing to Lao national development and fostering Laos-Vietnam relations, Thongsithavong said./.