Since the signing of a trade agreement between Lao IDP Rice Processing Company and COFCO in November, Laos has achieved its target to export rice to China this month. Last year, the government agreed to purchase 20,000 tons of rice through Lao Xuanye Company; but as of October, Xuanye Company had only exported 16,800 tons of rice to China. Khemmany Pholsena, Minister of Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Laos, said that Xuanye Company had exported 1,000 tons of rice and would export the remaining 2,200 tons by the end of this month. The government plans to export more rice and other agricultural products to China in the near future. In 2017, Lao rice export value exceeded USD 31.16 million, with Vietnam, Thailand and China as its main export markets .