A large-scale durian cultivation project will be launched in southern Laos' Attapeu province, covering hundreds of hectares of land to support the government's push for commercial fruit farming.

The move supports Laos' ambition to become a durian supplier to neighboring China, the Lao national TV reported on Thursday.

More than 273 hectares of land have been allocated for durian cultivation as part of a national policy to promote private investment in agriculture and forest conservation amid a rising demand from China.

The Lao government is encouraging farmers and producers to supply more goods to the domestic market and produce more for export to bring in much-needed foreign currency.

The government is targeting a 4.3 percent growth in agriculture for 2025, aiming to increase the sector's contribution to the country's gross domestic product to 22.4 percent.