(02/01/2013) — The Lao-Indochina Group (LIG) Public Company’s tapioca factory has obtained certificates of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and congratulations from the government after over five years of business operation.
The respective certificates were granted by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce at a ceremony held in Pakngum district, Vientiane, on Saturday.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Nam Vinhaket, Health Ministry representative Dr Somthavy Changvisommid, Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Mr Kissana Vongsay, LIG Chairman of the Board of Directors , Mr Sengmaly Sengvatthana, and other government officials, businesspeople and customers.
GMP relates to the factory’s production standards and comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Health’s Food and Drug Department as the designated food safety authority.
The GMP certificate also certifies that this manufacturer complies with the requirements of the Food Law and related GMP Standards, as well as the Codex Alimentarius Commission Recommended International Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene.
Also celebrated at the event was the fact that the company won an accolade at the Asean Business Awards for 2012 in the growth category at the 21 st Asean Business and Investment Summit, along with New Year celebrations.
LIG won the award because its operations met the criteria set by the Asean Business and Investment Summit (Asean-BIS) Secretariat.
The criteria include the requirement that a company not only seeks to make a profit, but also plays an important role by generating social and environmental benefits for society.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce awarded the Certificate of Congratulations to the company to certify that it has performed well and helped the country in terms of social and economic development in 2012.
LIG’s tapioca factory creates jobs for more than 300 people and provides an income for more than 4,750 farming families. It ensures there is a large quantity of cassava produced and supplied for the company’s tapioca factory, mainly for export to China with some for local supply.
There are 13,500 hectares of cassava under cultivation in 271 villages across 14 districts in Vientiane and in Borikhamxay and Vientiane provinces. The company expects to expand its cassava farms to cover over 20,000 hectares in the near future.
Lao-Indochina also obtained ISO 9001:2008 certification from the UK in recognition of the company’s quality management system, along with other certificates recognising good manufacturing practices regarding food hygiene and quality management systems from the international organisations concerned.
The company’s tapioca factory has 12 large treatment reservoirs that treat all the waste water discharged from the plant and preserve the surrounding environment.
Vientiane Times
