Importing and Exporting Between Laos and Australia

Exporting to Laos and Importing to Australia From Laos

Import and Export trade between Laos and Australia is quite strong, and development is ongoing.

Laos is a country in Asia surrounded on all sides by land (a landlocked country). It borders on four countries; Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and China.

Whilst not a large country (population of around 6.6 million), it is fascinatingly, a very young country. Incredibly, over 70% of the population is younger than 35 years. As a trade partner, this lends Laos a certain amount of dynamic energy.

Current economic factors and opportunities centre around mining, construction and real estate, power generation and some manufacturing. There are also opportunities for trade within agriculture and forestry.

Current exporting to Laos from Australia involves mainly liquid pump machinery and parts such as taps and valves. Civil engineering equipment is also a common export from Australia for use in mining, hydro-power generation and construction.

The main imports to Australia from Laos are clothing and jewellery.

Exporting to Laos

Australia and Laos are members in a number of international organisations that aim at fostering trade and understanding between countries.

Laos became a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2013. Together, Australia and Laos are both involved in a number of Free Trade Agreements. It is worthwhile investigating these agreements for export and import opportunities.

Additionally, the Australian Federal Government offers Export Market Development Grants. These trade grants assist businesses in developing trade relationships with certain countries. Laos currently meets the criteria for one of these grants.

Australia and Laos are also both members of ASEAN, Association of South-East Asian Nations.

Freight Shipping to Laos

As a landlocked country, freight access to Laos occurs only through certain routes.

For shipping between Laos and Australia, the typical route is through Thailand. Consequently, shipments are via a Thai port and are then shipping overland between the port and Laos.

Importantly, there is another consideration to note when transporting goods to or from Laos. Only certain freight companies are legally licenced to do this. Choosing an unlicensed shipping provider can land you in a world of difficulty (and expense).

If you have goods you want to export to Laos or import from Laos to Australia, please come and speak with us.