2025, Volume 28, Paper 7
ISSN: 2209-6612
The Value of Rice Characteristics in Vientiane, Lao PDR: A Preliminary Hedonic Model
Chitpasong Kousonsavath – Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane.
Fue Yang – Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane.
Lytoua Chialue – Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane.
Kangbao Xaytouthao – Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane.
Saysouda Lasakit – Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane.
Garry Griffith – School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville.
Abstract
In this paper a pilot study is reported that estimates the economic values that Lao consumers place on different characteristics of both glutinous and non-glutinous types of rice. The pilot study demonstrates that market data on rice price characteristics can be collected and analysed to provide useful results for policy analysis. Both the data collection method and the data analysis method have proved to be easy to implement and interpret. The results show strong similarities across both glutinous and non-glutinous data sets. There are consistent premiums evident for organic rice and for coloured rice, and there are consistent discounts evident for B grade rice, for large pack sizes and for designated upland rice. However, there are some differences as well. Jasmine rice and old season rice are discounted in the non-glutinous data set, there is a strong premium evident for non-glutinous rice sold in the D-Mart supermarket, and region of origin is important for glutinous rice but not for non-glutinous rice. Of particular interest is that the premium evident for organic rice can be compared to the extra costs incurred in producing organic rice arising out of farming systems modelling, and some judgements can then be made about the economic feasibility of the government’s focus on the wider adoption of alternative technologies for rice farming households in Lao PDR.
Keywords: Lao PDR, rice, quality characteristics, hedonic regression models
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