A freight train sets off for the Lao capital Vientiane via the China-Laos Railway from the International Railway Port of Nanning, of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 2, 2022.

The Laos is seeking to promote sustainable agricultural production and increase the export of agricultural produce to China through the China-Laos Railway, marking a significant step in efforts to boost agricultural exports.

The Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will collaborate with the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) to seek ways of boosting the export of agricultural products to the Chinese market, as part of the project "Assessing Policy Enhancements for Sustainable Agriculture Linked to the China-Laos Railway".

The project aims to formulate policy recommendations that will enable the Lao government to fully utilize the China-Laos Railway to boost agricultural exports to China, while simultaneously promoting sustainable agricultural practices in Laos, Lao National Radio reported on Thursday.

Key commodities for export to China include cassava, rubber, bananas and sugarcane, while local governments have shown significant interest in the export of cattle.

In the first five months of 2024, the railway carried 2.3 million tons of freight, an increase of 31 percent compared to the same period 2023, according to the report.