Earlier this month, Vietnam and China finalized three protocols to officially export frozen durian, fresh coconuts, and crocodile to China. This development is anticipated to increase the export volumes of these agricultural products. The agreement on fresh coconuts is expected to open substantial opportunities for Vietnamese coconut growers, considering China's large population of 1.4 billion and its domestic coconut supply fulfilling only about 10% of its demand.
Nguyen Huu Tai, a farmer from Ben Tre province with one hectare of coconut trees, remarked that the Chinese market's openness would create a stable consumption market for coconuts, helping to prevent price declines. The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association forecasts a rise in fresh coconut exports by approximately 200-300 million USD by year-end, with continued growth expected.
As the world's seventh-largest coconut producer, Vietnam has a cultivation area of 188,000ha, producing around two million tonnes annually, predominantly in the Mekong Delta region. However, the industry faces challenges such as the need for standardization in quality for sustainable exports to China. Nguyen Quoc Manh, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production, highlighted the issue of scattered plantations hindering quality standardization and the need for time to address this.
Investments in infrastructure for harvesting, collecting, processing, and preserving coconuts are deemed necessary. Tran Van Duc, Chairman of the Ben Tre Coconut Investment Company, emphasized the importance of developing growing areas that meet stringent quality requirements to facilitate expansion into more markets. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung stressed the importance of managing growing areas and packaging facilities to comply with import market requirements.
The ministry is committed to collaborating with Chinese authorities to support Vietnamese farmers in leveraging this opportunity for coconut export expansion. Fresh coconut exports amounted to around 800 million USD in 2022-23, with China, Thailand, the US, and the EU being the main markets.
Source: Lang Son News