Supporting coconut growing area code issuance fees, ready for export

Recently, the US market officially opened for fresh coconuts from Vietnam. Localities in the Mekong Delta region have urgently prepared conditions to officially export fresh coconuts to this potential market.

Tra Vinh has the second-largest coconut-growing area in the country, with about 26,000 hectares (only behind Ben Tre province). Farmers are encouraged to apply science and technology to farming. At the same time, they keep a diary to provide information to local agricultural officials. Each coconut garden is issued a separate code and address for strict management and supervision.

Typically, Thanh Tri Coconut Growing Cooperative in Huyen Hoi commune, Cang Long district, has a coconut growing area of up to 112 hectares with 246 cooperative members. All farming activities comply with the organic farming method.

Mr. Phan Duc Tai, Director of Thanh Tri Cooperative, shared: “We regularly clean the garden and catch beetles by hand, as well as never use chemicals in the farming process to kill weeds. When harvesting, we always maintain a quantity recording process to synthesize information and send it to the Commune People’s Committee. Thanks to organic farming, our prices are about 10% higher than those of traditional coconuts. Currently, the cooperative has the ability to supply up to 6,000 tons of coconuts annually, and our target markets are the US and China.

In addition to actively encouraging production linkages and guiding farmers to implement standard processes for export, Tra Vinh is also focusing on calling and prioritizing deep processing businesses and facilities to create products with high added value and ensure stability in the consumption market. There are currently six coconut packaging facilities that meet export standards and four businesses that have built an area of nearly 5,000 hectares to meet the requirements of the EU and the United States.

Among them,Cau Ke Macapuno Processing Co., Ltd., headquartered in hamlet 2, Thanh Phu commune, Cau Ke district, Tra Vinh province, is one of the province's successful start-up businesses. The company director, Mr. Tran Duy Linh, a son of Cau Ke district, has dedicated himself to researching and processing macapuno into unique products, bringing high added value. The company's products have achieved certifications such as ISO, HACCP, and FDA, including typical products such as macapuno fiber and macapuno candy with 3 flavors (pure macapuno, cocoa, and pandan leaves).

Mr. Tran Duy Linh shared that the company has cooperated with Hoa Tan Macapuno Cooperative to build a raw material area for macapuno with food safety and hygiene standards. As of now, the company's coconut products have been present in the United States, Japan, and South Korea. In the coming time, we plan to expand into the EU and Asia regions.

Mr. Le Van Dong, Deputy Director of the Tra Vinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the province has implemented preparatory activities and is ready for the coconut export process. To be more specific, the support level is 100% of the fee for issuing growing area codes for coconut products, but the maximum limit does not exceed VND 6 million for each code. At the same time, the province will encourage the widespread application of scientific and technical knowledge, along with converting to organic coconut growing models to meet increasingly high requirements from export markets.

According to the Vietnam Coconut Association, in 2022, the value of Vietnam's coconut export industry and coconut products reached over USD 900 million. Vietnam ranks 4^th in total value in the world coconut market and is the 4^th largest exporter of coconut products in the Asia-Pacific region. During the past five years, the Vietnamese coconut industry has developed with about 200 products, including many high-value products exported to demanding markets such as Finland and the United States, strengthening the brand of Vietnamese coconuts on the international market.

Previously, on August 8, 2023, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) under the US Department of Agriculture sent a letter to the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), informing them about the US opening the market for fresh Vietnam's coconuts.