Laos bans imports of pigs and pork to protect domestic market

In a move to protect and promote the domestic market, the Lao government has banned the import of pigs and pork into the country.

Farmland pork products are sold at a supermarket in Pico Rieva, California. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Under the ban, traders are not allowed to import pigs and pork into Laos for commercial purposes, while individuals are also prohibited from importing the items even for household consumption.

Those who violate this ban will be punished according to the provisions of the law, while the products will be confiscated and destroyed.

In a statement explaining the ban, the Department of Livestock and Fisheries of the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry cited statistics from the department, saying that in 2013, Laos raised about 3 million pigs and this number continued to increase at a rate of about 6% per year, so Laos was not only capable of supplying pigs and pork for domestic consumption but also had surplus for export.

According to Mr. Sithong Phiphakkhavong, Deputy Director of the Lao Department of Livestock and Fisheries, the above ban will not increase the price of pork in the domestic market, because this is one of the price-controlled items that the Lao Government has set a price ceiling to prevent traders from arbitrarily raising prices.

The announcement did not specify how long the ban would last./.

According to Vietnam+