Rice in Laos

Glutinous rice – the essence of what it means to be Lao

Rice cultivation is the single most important economic activity in Laos, accounting for 70% of the total cultivated area, half of all agricultural output and one-fifth of total GDP.

Historically, the people of Laos have grown glutinous (“sticky”) rice and the Lao eat more glutinous than any other people in the world. It continues to make up around 90 percent of all Lao rice production with the remainder consisting of white and fragrant rice.

Small-scale farming remains the pillar of the food and agriculture sectors and the country has one of the highest per capita annual rice consumption levels in the world, highlighting the strategic importance of this crop for the country.

Small-scale family farming, primarily for self-consumption, has been the pillar of rice cultivation. IDP works with the farming community to encourage more extensive, organic farming methods that involve zero chemical input, with premium quality the key objective

Rice Seed Production

Traditionally, Lao farmers have used many different seed varieties, resulting in variable consistency and quality. Such variability is detrimental to the development of quality products and to meeting the needs of international buyers seeking high value products. By selecting and distributing varieties of proven quality, higher yields and better prices will benefit both the Lao rice industry and hundreds of thousands of Lao families.

IDP has developed its own Research & Development Seed Farm, the only company with such facilities. Here, agronomic, processing and sensory tests are carried out every season, and the best varieties selected and multiplied.

We have also recently opened a brand new Seed Processing plant where we clean, sort, bag and store the seeds, to the highest quality standards.
The production line has the capacity to process more than 2,000 tons of seeds per year, the largest and most advanced seed processing facility in Laos.