Laos earned more than USD 1 billion from agriculture and forestry exports in the first half of 2026, reaching about 53 percent of the government’s full-year target of USD 1.9 billion, according to official figures.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone reported the figure at the First Extraordinary Session of the 10th National Assembly, running from 6 until 10 July in Vientiane.
Crops brought in the largest share, earning USD 752 million, followed by timber, rubber, and other forest products at USD 158.64 million. Livestock exports grew more slowly, totaling USD 98.67 million.
During his speech, Sonexay said the sector grew 4.3 percent in the first half of the year, accounting for 17.4 percent of the country’s overall economic growth.
Laos has also been opening new markets for its farm goods.
As of June, the country had secured approval to export 84 agricultural and livestock product lines to China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, giving Lao farmers and exporters more places to sell their goods.
That momentum showed up in a series of new trade deals. In June, Laos and South Korea signed agreements worth more than USD 1.1 million to launch a pilot project exporting Lao-grown chili peppers and cabbage to the Korean market, along with a second deal to bring Korean tissue culture technology to Lao farms.
Laos also strengthened trade ties with Cambodia, launching new export and transit rules on 22 June that let Cambodian crops such as durian, longan, banana, mango, rice, and cassava pass through Laos on their way to China. Under the same agreement, Laos will export rice, coffee, blueberries, pumpkin, cabbage, and tamarind directly to Cambodia.
Officials said the government is relying on new tools like the Lao Agrolink digital platform, launched in late May, to make agricultural trade faster and easier for businesses by cutting paperwork and improving oversight of the supply chain.
