Coconut industry firmly integrates

International visitors visit organic coconut garden in Huong My commune, Mo Cay Nam district.

On the coconut industry map

Coconut is a crop that is considered to be more tolerant to salinity and flooding than other agricultural crops. Coconut trees are able to withstand the above risks, becoming an important crop in the farming system, contributing to the sustainable development of local agriculture and towards 2030.

According to statistics from the Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in the province, the coconut growing area increased rapidly from 51,560 hectares in 2010 to 77,232 hectares in 2022, accounting for 39.7% of the total coconut growing area in the country. The coconut growing area increased rapidly over the years and reached about 80,000 hectares by the end of 2024. The province's coconut productivity is among the highest, with 9,863 fruits/ha/year, higher than the average of countries in the Asia-Pacific Coconut Association.

About 15% of the province's coconut area is planted with fresh fruit coconut varieties (drinking coconuts), such as Siamese coconut varieties. About 85% of the remaining area is planted with coconut varieties for industrial processing or multi-purpose. Fresh coconut growing areas are interspersed with industrial processing coconut areas. The popular coconut varieties are Vietnamese coconut, strawberry coconut, green Siamese coconut... with 35-40% of the seeds grown by the people themselves, the rest are mostly bought for planting. Coconut farming practices in the province are based on households, with small acreage. There are over 250,000 households growing coconuts, with an average area of ​​0.4ha/household.

Recently, studies have confirmed the central position of the province on the coconut industry map of the country and the region. Therefore, coconut is an industrial crop that plays a very important role in the economic development of the province. Thereby, it has contributed significantly to Vietnam's ranking 4th in the Asia-Pacific region and 5th in the world in coconut exports.

Provincial development strategy

The province's coconut tree development strategy has always been of interest and has been specified in Resolution No. 07-NQ/TU dated January 29, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on building concentrated production areas, linking the development of value chains of key agricultural products of the province in the period of 2020 - 2025; Program No. 08-CTr/TU dated January 29, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on developing key industries and business forces of the province in the period of 2020 - 2025, with a vision to 2030. In particular, absorbing the Project on Developing Key Industrial Crops to 2030 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), the provincial agricultural sector has implemented it, focusing on tasks to develop the province's coconut industry.

International tourists visit organic coconut growing model in the province.

Based on the objectives and tasks of Resolution No. 07-NQ/TU of the Provincial Party Committee, up to now, the province has successfully built a coconut value chain with 2 chains of industrial coconut and drinking coconut. Of which, the industrial coconut chain has 34 cooperatives, 20 cooperative groups, with a scale of over 13 thousand hectares and over 6.2 thousand members. The drinking coconut chain has 2 cooperatives, 16 cooperative groups, with over 8.3 thousand members.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Huynh Quang Duc said: In the period of 2021 - 2024, the province will develop nearly 8,800 hectares of organic coconut, bringing the total area of ​​coconut produced according to organic standards in the whole province to over 20,000 hectares; of which the certified area is 16,300 hectares. Up to now, the whole province has selected and recognized over 9,700 mother coconut trees, granted 6 domestic growing area codes for coconut, with an area of ​​nearly 530 hectares in the districts: Chau Thanh, Giong Trom, Thanh Phu and Ben Tre City; granted 133 growing area codes for more than 8,300 hectares of coconut for export to Europe, the US and China.

The coconut processing industry has consumed 85.74% of the total coconut harvested in the province and accounts for a large proportion compared to the processing industry, considered the province's spearhead economic sector. The whole province has about 180 enterprises, accounting for 26% of the province's industrial production enterprises and nearly 2,400 establishments producing and processing coconut products.

Expand export markets

Deputy Director of Luong Quoi Coconut Processing Company Limited (An Hiep Industrial Park, Chau Thanh District) Nguyen Truong Thinh said: The milestone of 2000 was the period when enterprises in the province pioneered in investing in desiccated coconut production lines. The technology of desiccated coconut brought coconut products "overseas" to the Middle East market. With the need to sell, enterprises interact with the market and have the opportunity to learn about the market. Update technology trends from countries specializing in coconut production such as the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia... From there, opening up new breakthrough technology products for the Vietnamese coconut industry.

According to the General Department of Customs, by the end of 2024, Vietnam's fresh coconut export turnover reached 390 million USD, an increase of 61% over the same period. The total export turnover of coconut products reached nearly 1.1 billion USD, an increase of more than 20% compared to 2023. This is the first time in 14 years that Vietnamese coconuts have reached the billion USD mark, affirming the position of the coconut industry on the agricultural export map.

In the province alone, in 2024, coconut exports will reach over 450 million USD, accounting for more than 25% of the province's total export turnover. The province expects that by 2025, the coconut industry will bring in revenue of 1 billion USD/year for the province. The export market for coconut products has been expanded, contributing to a rapid increase in export turnover. The market structure has shifted from some intermediate markets in Asia such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore to direct markets in Europe and North America with great potential.

Among the leading enterprises in the domestic coconut industry, Betrimex (Phong Nam Industrial Park, Giong Trom District) is considered the leading coconut producer in Vietnam, ranked in the top 6 largest coconut producers in the world. Betrimex has also committed to pioneering in expanding cooperation, accompanying relevant parties to deeply exploit the coconut value chain, making coconut products a symbol of Asia and a typical industry of the century.

When considered as the national key industrial crop, the position and stature of Ben Tre coconut industry in particular and Vietnam in general will be raised to new heights both domestically and internationally. The brand and reputation of Vietnamese coconut products will be enhanced and the opportunity to penetrate domestic and international markets will become more open...

“From 2010 to now, it can be called the “rapid growth” period of the coconut industry. Countless products have been created with diverse types and in many industries. In particular, it is necessary to mention the food product lines processed from coconut. Product trends are updated and implemented by businesses to meet customer needs such as: organic products through the process of building organic coconut gardens, products recognized as Halal, Kosher...”.

(Deputy Director of Luong Quoi Coconut Processing Company Limited Nguyen Truong Thinh)

Article and photos: Cam Truc

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/nganh-dua-vung-vang-hoi-nhap-02042025-a144574.html