Northern Laos, where tea trees have been growing abundantly for thousands of years, is a cradle of tea production. This long history of tea growing and sales is what makes Lao teas so unique. In addition, unlike in most other tea producing countries, tea in Laos is still largely family-farmed and grown naturally from seed in biodiverse environments.
However, the market for Lao tea products is not well developed, due to strong competition from the main producing countries and insufficient visibility of the quality of Lao tea in international markets. 80% of Lao teas are exported to China, where the main stakeholders have developed sectors that are efficient but leave little added value for Lao stakeholders. In parallel, the urban tea drinking culture remains limited in Laos.
In an effort to boost agriculture and reduce poverty in the region, the Mekong Tea Project was set up with financial support from Agence Française de Développement. It is being conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Department of Agriculture (DoA). The project aims to improve smallholder tea farmers’ incomes through better governance of the value chain and better access to the market thanks to quality, certified products. GRET is providing technical support to the DoA for the implementation of the project, together with AVSF and LCG.
From 19 to 21 May, the project celebrated International Tea Day with tea producers and traders from all over Laos. Opening speeches were given by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and the French Ambassador to Laos. It is the second time the event has been hosted in the country. More than 20 exhibitors joined to display their products plus different activities to inspire the love for tea. Tea cupping sessions – Gong Fu Cha – and Japanese tea ceremonies took place during the 3 days, allowing the public to taste different teas from Laos and elsewhere in Asia. A photo exhibition on tea growing was organized by project partner Comité de coopération avec le Laos. It enabled visitors to gain an insight into the daily life of tea producers throughout the country.
Attending the event for the second time as an exhibitor, Viengsamai Lorbriayao from the Duangmalator Tea Factory in Xiengkhouang province said that she is “very happy, because it is an event that is held specifically for tea and it is an opportunity for tea producers to get together and discuss their situations, and to taste teas from each area”.
International Tea Day is a celebratory day designated by the United Nations to recognize the diversity of tea and its many economic, biological, and physical benefits. This year in Laos, more than 5,000 tea lovers showed up for the event to learn about Lao teas! With a wide range of high quality and high value tea varieties, the event also succeeded in raising public awareness, attracting buyers from the hotel and coffee shop sectors, and providing career opportunities for young people in the tea industry. It marks a positive sign of progress for Lao teas within the high value and certified organic and fair-trade product markets.
During the event, the organic certificate was awarded to the Meung Tea Producer Cooperative. The cooperative is currently being supported by the Mekong Tea Project in the areas of capacity-building and governance, in order to improve their tea quality, secure long-term contracts, and ultimately reach new markets and ensure stable income for local farmers.
“Not only I, but also the farmers, and the relevant teams at the district and provincial levels are very happy to receive the EU organic certificate. It is not easy to get this certificate. Before getting it, you have to go through various methods, processes, principles, and regulations,” said Phongsawat Thammavongsa, Assistant at Meung Tea Producers Cooperative.
