Silently get rich from the coconut tree

Generating income for farmers

Coconut is a fruit tree with a relatively large area in the South Central region; Binh Dinh is the largest planting area with nearly 9,300ha. Coconut trees concentrate in Hoai Nhon town and Phu My, Hoai An, and Phu Cat districts; followed by Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa, each province has about 2,000ha. The area of coconut in Ninh Thuan is not significant, only about a few dozen ha, mainly Siamese coconut for drinking.

In Binh Dinh - the largest coconut area in the South Central region, coconut trees have been present on this land, most concentrated in Hoai Nhon town since ancient times. That's why there is a saying: "No effort is in vain while caring and watering the Tam Quan coconut".

Coconuts in Hoai Nhon are many, the shadows of coconut trees can be seen everywhere, especially in Tam Quan, Tam Quan Nam, and Tam Quan Bac wards. People in Hoai Nhon planted most of the coconuts before 1975. They always replaced the coconut trees destroyed by bombs during wartime, so the planting area remain the same.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang in Phung Du 1 neighborhood, Hoai Hao ward (Hoai Nhon town) has 180 coconut trees planted before 1975 on excess garden land around his house. Mr. Thang's coconuts are 45 - 50 years old. In the past, his family planted coconuts without a plan, he replaced all the trees destroyed by bombs. Seedlings were also not selected, but now, on average, a coconut tree produces about 35 fruits yearly. 

People in Hoai Nhon planted most of the coconuts before 1975, mainly coconut to pick as raw materials for establishments processing coconut products such as coconut oil, coconut candy, coconut jam, coconut water rice paper… Coconuts are harvested 3 times a year. The first harvest is after the Lunar New Year. This is the fruit of the flowering period in October of the previous year's lunar calendar. The main harvest season is from April to June of the lunar calendar, to October of the lunar calendar. This harvest helps the coconut to flower and bear fruit next year.

"Each coconut tree on average gives 35 coconuts per year, my 180 coconut trees give 6,300 coconuts per year. When the price is high, each coconut sells for VND10,000. When the coconut price drops to VND6,000 - 7,000/ fruit, the family still has a regular income to manage life, "Mr. Thang said.

Mr. Duong Minh Truong (67 years old), a farmer in Tan An village, Hoai Chau commune (Hoai Nhon town), has 36 coconut trees planted since 1985 on scarred garden land. He added: “At the peak, old coconuts for oil processing sold at VND 11,000 - 12,000/ coconut. Large coconuts (about 1.5 kg) can currently be sold for VND7,000 / coconut. Smaller coconuts' prices are only VND6,000/ coconut. When coconut prices increased, my family had an income of VND6-7 million each harvest. When the price is low, each harvest from the 36 coconut trees earns my family a few million VND.

Not only processed coconut, but the water coconut also gives higher efficiency. “In Khanh Hoa, there are only three months of the rainy season a year, the sun is hot the rest of the time, so coconut is selling very well. Currently, in Khanh Hoa, a coconut drink bought at the market costs up to VND15,000. If each coconut tree gives 20 coconuts, the grower has an income of VND300,000. My family only has ten water coconut trees, but each harvest earns VND3 million. Each ha has 200 coconut trees, the current coconut tree is a fruit tree that creates very good revenue”, Ms. Luong Kim Ngan, the Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Plant Protection Sub-Department shared.

Unfair treatment

Coconut trees bring farmers economic efficiency. While the newly planted Siamese coconuts area is carefully cared for, the "senior" copra coconut area is neglected by growers. For more than half a century, farmers treated the coconut trees unfairly but they still quietly "generate" money for farmers.

“Before 1975, the war was devastating, and bombs and bullets cut down coconuts continuously. There was no time to choose varieties for replanting. If you see an old coconut that has sprouted under the root, dig a hole and put seeds down. Now, the yield of coconut is not high, it is exciting to see a coconut tree that gives 35 fruits a year.

Yet the coconut trees never received any fertilizer and even less watering. Farmers only care for the coconut but never care for the trees. If the coconut trees are well cared for, the yield will be even higher, farmers will have a better income”, Mr. Duong Minh Truong (67 years old) in Tan An village, Hoai Chau commune (Hoai Nhon town, Binh Dinh) confided. 

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang, a farmer in Phung Du 1 neighborhood, Hoai Hao ward (Hoai Nhon town), In the consciousness of coconut farmers in Hoai Nhon, coconut is a perennial plant that is "big and strong" so there is no need to invest in care. Coconut is also an easy-going tree. Although it does not require as much care as other fruit trees, it is still hard to bear fruit.

“Coconut in Hoai Nhon is getting older and older, so the yield is decreasing. To "rejuvenate" coconut, the trees need to be cared for and fertilized. But now the fertilizer’s price is sky high, while coconut fruit has a lower price, so it is impossible to fertilize coconut trees. If coconut trees are fertilized and watered periodically like coffee trees, the economic efficiency of coconut trees will be many times higher”, said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang.

Farmers unfairly treated Coconut trees in Binh Dinh. Coconut trees in many provinces in the South Central region are also "ignored" by local authorities, for example, Phu Yen.

According to Mr. Nguyen Le Lanh Da, Director of the Phu Yen Plant Protection Sub-Department, the province currently has nearly 2,000 ha of coconuts, mainly scattered across planting areas. Coconuts in Phu Yen are only concentrated in Song Cau Town with about 800 ha, most of which are coconut varieties that give copra for processing. Coconut orchards in Phu Yen have formed since ancient times, people cut down the old areas without replanting them, so the area of ​​coconut is decreasing. Siamese coconuts are replanted in a small area only.

“Consumption of coconut products is not as popular as other fruit trees, and the economic efficiency is not outstanding, so Phu Yen farmers are not very interested in coconut trees. In the development orientation of fruit trees, coconut trees are not on the list of trees that will develop in Phu Yen.” Mr. Nguyen Le Lanh Da said.

“In the past, there was 2,500 ha of coconut trees in Khanh Hoa. Through the process of urbanization, many coconut areas have been demolished to make way for projects, so now there are only nearly 2,000 hectares. Realizing that coconut is a tree with high economic efficiency, in the restructuring of crops, Khanh Hoa still encourages farmers to destroy inefficient trees and switch to planting Siamese coconuts. 

Coconut is an easy-to-preserve fruit tree, unlike other fruit trees that must be eaten immediately. After harvesting, the coconut can be sold even after a whole week without fear of spoiling” Ms. Luong Kim Ngan, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Plant Protection Department shared.