China spends billions of dollars buying more than 4 billion coconuts/year, how much does it buy from Vietnam?

According to the Chinese Customs, the country's demand for coconuts is huge. Every year, China consumes more than 4 billion coconuts, of which about 2.6 billion are fresh coconuts, the rest are used for processing. The demand is large but China's production capacity is not enough to meet it, so every year the country has to import large quantities of coconuts of all kinds.

According to data from the China Customs Administration, during the period 2019 - 2023, the country's coconut imports grew by an average of 22.71% per year. During this period, China's coconut imports remained stable and grew gradually, especially in 2022 and 2023, when the amount of imported coconuts continuously reached record highs, respectively 1.095 million tons and 1.22 million tons.

However, China's coconut imports decreased in the first months of 2024. Accordingly, in the first 7 months of 2024, the country's coconut imports reached 492,320 tons, worth 249.95 million USD, down 29.7% in volume and 33.2% in value compared to the same period last year.

Every year, China consumes more than 4 billion coconuts, including about 2.6 billion fresh coconuts, opening up great opportunities for Vietnam. Photo: TL

The Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that China currently imports mainly coconuts with inner shells, with a volume of 474.18 thousand tons, worth 229.73 million USD, accounting for 96.32% of the total volume and 91.91% of the total turnover in the first 7 months of 2024. In addition, China imports desiccated coconut, but the volume is insignificant.

In the first 7 months of 2024, China imported coconuts from 7 countries and territories around the world. Of which, the main sources of coconuts for China include: Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, accounting for 96.51% of the total volume.

Vietnam is the third largest supplier of coconuts to China, reaching over 111,100 tons, worth 31.79 million USD, down 30.6% in volume and 18.6% in value.

Vietnam's coconut market share in China's total imports slightly decreased from 22.86% in the first 7 months of 2023 to 22.57% in the first 7 months of 2024.

However, the Import-Export Department believes that China's reduction in imports of Vietnamese coconuts is only short-term. Because China has agreed to grant official export licenses for fresh coconuts from Vietnam from August 19, 2024. This has opened up a great opportunity for the Vietnamese coconut industry to access the large potential market of China.

Currently, Vietnam has about 200,000 hectares of coconut trees, with an output of more than 2 million tons, ranking 4th in the world in value and being one of the key export crops of our country.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the General Administration of Customs of China have signed a protocol allowing the official export of fresh coconuts to China.

This is both an opportunity to expand Vietnam's coconut market and a basis for Vietnam to organize and link up to produce this crop more effectively.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development aims to have about 80% or more of the codes approved. In preparation for the inspection of your country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested 15 provinces and cities that are growing a lot of coconuts to grasp, carefully study and prepare related issues and documents according to the provisions of the protocol signed between the Ministry and the General Administration of Customs of China.

According to the Plant Protection Department, fresh coconuts exported from Vietnam to China include fresh coconuts (whole fruit with green shell and short stem ≦5cm and coconut without shell), must comply with Chinese plant quarantine regulations, regulations and standards related to food safety and hygiene, not be contaminated with plant quarantine species of concern to China, branches, leaves and soil.

All coconut growing areas and packing facilities exporting to China must be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and approved by both the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Prior to export, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development must submit to GACC a list of registered growing areas and packing facilities for approval, and this list will be updated regularly. GACC will post this list on its website.

At the same time, before exporting, plant quarantine officers conduct plant quarantine inspections and take 2% samples. During the first 2 years, if no violations of plant quarantine are detected, the sampling rate will be reduced to 1%.

According to data from the General Department of Customs, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports in the first 8 months of 2024 reached nearly 5 billion USD, up 33% over the same period last year. China continues to be the largest market, accounting for over 65% of the market share. Other markets such as the US, South Korea, Thailand and Japan also recorded an increase of 35-90% in fruit and vegetable imports from Vietnam. According to a representative of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, fruit and vegetable exports grew strongly thanks to the demand for durian from China.

Source: https://danviet.vn/trung-quoc-chi-ty-do-mua-hon-4-ty-qua-dua-nam-mua-cua-viet-nam-bao-nhieu-20240923141255782.htm