Bến Tre Province is the center of the coconut industry in Vietnam, producing high-quality coconuts. Tom Nguyen's company, Viet Nam International Agriculture, has plantations here.
"Vietnamese coconuts can be harvested all year round. From February to August is Vietnam's dry season, during which coconut production is about 70% of that in the rainy season due to less water available for coconut production, but the taste of coconut water is sweeter. The quantity and quality of Vietnamese coconuts are relatively stable, and this harvest season is no exception," Tom explained.
The first one on the right is Tom Nguyen
"In recent years, the market demand for fresh coconuts has been increasing annually. Especially in recent months, there have been additional orders from some new markets such as South Korea, Europe, and Taiwan, China, leading to a surge in overall demand and a 40%-50% increase in coconut prices. Both demand and price increases are higher than the same period last year."
Regarding the reasons for the increase, Tom analyzed, "Consumer awareness of health is growing, with more consumers preferring to have fresh drinks rather than soft drinks. Particularly after the Covid outbreak, more people are choosing to drink coconut water because of its benefits for maintaining lung health. In addition, coconut processed foods are also becoming popular, such as coconut coffee, cakes, and more. These trends have boosted the market demand for coconuts, leading to an annual increase in prices."
It is understood that Vietnamese fresh coconuts are about to gain official access to Chinese markets. Tom's company is preparing for this, including increasing investment in plantations and continuing to participate in food exhibitions in China. "China is a huge market nearby, and we hope to seize this opportunity. Vietnamese coconuts may be smaller in size, but they have rich water and sweeter taste, which is a characteristic of Vietnamese coconuts."
Tom believes that Vietnamese coconuts will have many opportunities: "Firstly, it is understood that the global coconut cultivation area is decreasing, and production is gradually declining. It takes 3-4 years for a newly planted coconut tree to bear fruit. However, the market demand has been increasing. Our company will also increase investment and expand the coconut cultivation area."
"On the other hand, Vietnam government is investing more and more in agricultural development, including coconuts. The government will implement strict controls to ensure coconut quality in this regard. Additionally, more and more young people are entering the coconut industry, with broader perspectives and knowledge, which is beneficial for the development of Vietnamese coconuts."
Tom's new version of Easy drink coconut
Tom's company is one of the main investor of Agricultural Productive Group which coconut plantations totaling 2000 hectares. Currently, they export dried coconuts to China and the Middle East markets, and fresh coconuts to Japan, the Middle East, and the United States markets. "Cocotom" is the brand name for his fresh coconut. The company will participate in the China International SME Fair to be held in China during June 27th-30th.
Tom Nguyen at HortEx 2024, which took place in Vietnam in March 2024
For More Information:
Tom Nguyen
Viet Nam International Agriculture
www.vietnam-coconut.com
phone: +84931442377
Email: [email protected]