The Lao government has announced plans to increase the country’s production of meat, fish, and eggs to 577,000 tonnes this year in an effort to strengthen food self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on supplies from neighboring provinces. The move aims to ensure that every person in Laos has access to at least 73 kilograms of these basic food items annually.
According to the Livestock and Fisheries Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the national goal for 2025 includes the production of 284,600 tonnes of meat, 237,000 tonnes of fish, and 55,400 tonnes of eggs. These targets follow a year in which food production exceeded demand, but regional gaps in food access still remain.
In 2024, farmers across the country produced 786,000 tonnes of food, significantly surpassing the national demand of 531,000 tonnes.
The supply of poultry alone was 134,081 tonnes, almost double the estimated need of 67,574 tonnes. Beef production also surpassed expectations, with 39,485 tonnes supplied against a demand of 32,446 tonnes, while pork production reached 137,908 tonnes, exceeding the required 129,251 tonnes.
Buffalo meat and fish also saw surpluses, with buffalo meat outpacing demand by more than 1,200 tonnes, and fish production reaching 408,642 tonnes, nearly double the estimated demand of just over 205,000 tonnes.
Despite these overall surpluses, the country faced a shortfall in egg production. In 2024, only 43,554 tonnes of eggs were produced, falling short of the estimated demand of 46,075 tonnes by approximately 2,500 tonnes, or about five percent.
Most of the country’s food supply came from household production, especially in rural areas, which contributed 503,000 tonnes or 64 percent of the total.
Commercial farms accounted for the remaining 282,000 tonnes, supplying 36 percent of the total output. While household production is largely consumed within local communities, commercial farms tend to supply markets and urban areas.
Even with a strong overall supply, ten provinces continue to rely on food brought in from neighboring areas. These regional imbalances are a key concern for the government, which is now working to ensure that each province can meet its own food needs independently. Improving the distribution of food products and increasing egg production are seen as top priorities in this effort.
By addressing these gaps and supporting both commercial and household producers, the Lao government hopes to ensure a stable and sufficient food supply for all citizens.