The Dao Instant Coffee Factory opened on Sunday in Champassak province three years after the start of construction, with costs mounting to US$128 million. Attending the grand opening ceremony was former President of Laos Mr Khamtay Siphandone, Prime Minister Mr Thongsing Thammavong, Governor of Champassak province Mr Sonesay Siphandone and Spokesperson for the Government Office Ms Bounpheng Mounphosay. The facility is the largest instant coffee factory in Laos and is currently targeting markets in Laos and the rest of Asia. Expansion to markets in Europe and other places is planned for the future.President of the Dao Heuang Company Group, Ms Heuang Litdang, said the group had been operating in the processing business in line with government guidelines and national socioeconomic development plans for over 20 years. The company has worked with local and central-level officials, especially the Champassak authorities, to grow and maintain its business operations.The Dao Heuang Company has now become the Dao Heuang Company Group after expanding its interests into many sectors.
The company has invested in coffee plantations, a market in Pakxe district, duty-free shops, drinking water, green tea, the instant coffee factory, and other businesses. Work on the coffee factory, which is situated at the km 19 point in Bachiangchaleunsouk district, began in 2009 and finished recently. Ms Heuang said the factory was equipped with technology from the European Union and would operate in line with production standards under Food Safety Management Systems ISO 22.000 certification. This comprises two international standards – Hazard Analysis Critical Point (HACCP) and the 9001 Quality Management Standard.
Lao farmers grow two main types of coffee - Robusta and Arabica. This year, the Dao Heuang Company Group grew about 600 hectares of coffee in Pakxong district, Champassak province, on the Bolaven Plateau. The company provides locals with training in farming techniques and gives them saplings to plant. When the coffee beans are harvested, Dao Heuang buys them from the growers for an agreed price. Overall, 23,000 families in the district grow coffee on a total of 34,000 hectares to sell to Dao Heuang. But this does not guarantee a constant supply, as yields vary from year to year depending on the weather. Primary export markets for Lao coffee are European countries such as France, Germany and Poland, while Japan and the Republic of Korea are the biggest Asian importers. According to a report from the Coffee Research Experimentation Centre in Pakxong district, the Robusta coffee variety accounts for 88 percent of the country’s coffee production, while the rest is Arabica. These popular coffee varieties are normally grown in cooler climates, such as that found on the Bolaven Plateau. Laos generates 0.25 percent of the world’s coffee production, with about 95 percent of the nation’s coffee grown in Pakxong district. Dao Heuang is extending its production on the Bolaven Plateau area by cooperating with local independent farmers. It has distributed saplings and bio-fertilisers to farmers, who grow the crop on small plots as a source of income.
ດາວເຮືອງ ລົງທຶນ 1.024 ຕື້ກີບ ສ້າງໂຮງງານກາເຟສຳເລັດຮູບ
ໂຮງງານປຸງແຕ່ງກາເຟສຳເລັດຮູບຂອງກຸ່ມບໍລິສັດ ດາວເຮືອງ ຈຳກັດ ເມືອງບາຈຽງ ແຂວງຈຳປາສັກ ໄດ້ໄຂຂຶ້ນເປັນທາງການ ວັນທີ