Opportunity to expand organic coconut production

In 2021, the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No.07 on building centralized production areas associated with developing product group value chains to gradually increase income and stabilize life for coconut farmers. The province's primary agricultural sector in 2020 - 2025, with an orientation to 2030, including the coconut product chain.

From the beginning of 2023 until now, Ben Tre province has added 554 hectares of organic coconuts (reaching more than 46% of the yearly plan), bringing the total area of coconuts produced according to organic standards to 17,846 hectares (accounting for nearly 23% of the total coconut area in the whole province), of which the certified organic coconut area is 11,418 hectares. In particular, the area of coconuts that have achieved organic certification according to the standards of the US, Japan, EU, China, Korea, Taiwan... is constantly maintained and developed.

According to Mr. Huynh Quang Duc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre province, the province has built a pilot of 6 concentrated coconut production areas, including five production areas according to organic standards (over 2,160 hectares) and one coconut production area for drinking. Currently, 32 cooperative groups and 28 cooperatives (cooperatives) are participating in linking and organizing production with nine enterprises. From here, hundreds of coconut processing facilities were formed, creating many jobs for local workers.

Luong Hoa commune (Giong Trom district, Ben Tre) has a coconut area of over 700 hectares. The local Farmers' Association recently coordinated with Ben Tre Import-Export Joint Stock Company (Betrimex) to organize and mobilize people to build organic coconut material areas. Initially, 173 households participated, with an area of 133 hectares.

Over the past two years, people have taken care of coconuts in an organic way, gradually reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and moving towards using 100% organic fertilizers. When switching to using organic fertilizer combined with chemical fertilizer, people save money because the price of organic fertilizer is cheaper. Still, quality coconuts are big fruit and can be sold at a higher price. For coconuts produced to meet organic standards, the average yield per hectare is 8,000 - 10,000 fruits/year. People are selling organic coconuts to businesses at 10-15% higher than the market price.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Director of Luong Hoa Agricultural Cooperative, said: "Businesses buy organic coconuts at prices ranging from VND 70,000 - VND 75,000/dozen (12 fruits) depending on the quality of coconuts. Every day, the cooperative collects about 2,000 organic coconuts. The business side provides stable product consumption and reputable payment."

Also, according to Mr. Quoc, the cooperative purchases 7,000 - 10,000 regular coconuts daily and purchases organic coconuts. Thereby creating jobs for about 60 workers with an average income of VND 300,000 - VND 350,000/day for male workers, from VND 200,000 - VND 250,000/day for female workers.

Mr. Vo Van Hai, Chairman of Luong Hoa Commune Farmers' Association, commented that people are delighted when participating in this association model. Currently, 172 coconut-growing households in the commune have been certified to produce organic coconuts. In the near future, the Commune Farmers' Association will continue coordinating with businesses to expand the organic coconut raw material area to about 300 hectares.

"From the beginning of the year until now, the Commune Farmers' Association, in collaboration with the District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, has organized four training sessions and one vocational class on organic coconut growing for 23 members. Soon, we will open another class on organic coconut planting and care and disease prevention and treatment on citrus trees," Mr. Hai added.

In the coming time, Ben Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will continue to build concentrated coconut production areas while introducing, consolidating, and replicating farming models and linking to expand effective organic coconut production to Enhance the province's coconut value chain.

"The locality has determined that building a concentrated coconut production area associated with developing the coconut value chain is one of the critical tasks, contributing to accelerating the progress of building new rural areas and restructuring the agricultural sector. In particular, the province focuses on propagating the purpose and meaning of production cooperation and organic production.

In addition, mobilize people to convert to coconut production according to organic standards and participate in building planting area codes. At the same time, strengthen training and transfer of organic coconut farming techniques to farmers to apply in practical production," said Mr. Nguyen Minh Canh, Vice Chairman of Ben Tre Provincial People's Committee.

In the first six months of 2023, the People's Committee of Ben Tre province has implemented many effective solutions to overcome drought and saltwater intrusion and increased capacity and ability to respond to epidemics. Especially in solving difficulties in the coconut industry, coconut prices have now risen again after a long period of being low.