Director General of the Planning and Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Xaypradeth Chounlamany, said recently the government is encouraging farmers to breed cattle, buffaloes, goats and pigs as well as chicken and fish to meet domestic consumption needs, which are increasing year by year.

In 2011, Lao people consumed an average of 47kg of meat, eggs and fish per capita per annum.

This figure had increased to 53kg in 2015, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

To reach the targets of 65kg by 2020 and 79kg by 2025, the ministry plans to focus on eight priority areas.

These include developing and expanding animal herds and aquatic stocks, improving and updating animal feeds and fish feeds, as well as boosting the production and supply of animal vaccines.

The ministry will also place greater scrutiny on the movement of livestock and poultry as well as aquatic creatures.

The government will also focus on improving slaughterhouses and meat processing houses, regulate aquatic products, improve the systems of market management for animal and aquatic products, increase capacity building for veterinarians and fisheries staff as well as seek to guarantee a sufficient fish supply in Vientiane.

The numbers of livestock and fish breeders which are employing more modern methods has increased in recent times, especially on the flat lands along the Mekong River valley and some parts of the northern provinces.

Cattle rearing for domestic supply and export has also been developed. In fiscal year 2014-2015, the ministry worked hard to encourage farmers and entrepreneurs to increase livestock breeding across the country by around 10-12 per cent.

Broken down, the breeding of buffaloes increased by one per cent, cattle breeding by two per cent, rearing of pigs and goats by four per cent, and poultry by five per cent.

In 2013-2014, the numbers of cattle expanded three per cent, goats by two per cent, pigs by six per cent and poultry by five per cent.

The production of meat, eggs and fish in 2013-2014 reached a combined total of 361,074 tonnes, which included 171,364 tonnes of meat, 39,150 tonnes of eggs and 150,560 tonnes of fish.

Over the five years from 2011-2015, the agriculture and forestry sector expanded by an average of about 2.7-3 per cent.

During th at five ye ars, the agriculture sector saw a total expenditure of 7 trillion kip, of which 10 per cent came from domestic funds, 20 per cent in the form of loans and grants, 60 per cent from the private sector with the remaining 10 per cent being contributions from local people.