Fresh coconut packaging for export at Mekong Fruit Co., Ltd., located in Huu Dinh commune, Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam’s fresh coconuts are being increasingly consumed in international markets such as the US, China, and the UK, highlighting a bright spot in Vietnam's fruit export sector with many opportunities for breakthroughs in the near future.

Vietnam holds the 6th position in the global coconut market in terms of cultivation area and output. With roughly 200,000ha of plantations, the country produces 2 million tonnes of the nuts annually.

This production capacity has enabled Vietnam to export coconuts to 15 foreign markets, with 30,000 tonnes.

To maximise the strength of coconuts as a naturally clean fruit with a long shelf life, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has negotiated a protocol with China for fresh coconut exports since 2016, according to Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department Nguyen Quang Hieu.

Vietnamese coconuts have been exported to Western markets since 2017, with Vina T&T pioneering the entry into the US market, previously dominated by Thai ones.

General Director Vina T&T Nguyen Dinh Tung said Vietnamese coconuts, known for sweetness, caught the attention of the US market, favoured by consumers in Europe, Canada, and the Republic of Korea (RoK), and most recently China which has granted an export code for the product.

Vina T&T has signed contracts with two Chinese companies to ship the first batches to this market.

With a population of over 1.4 billion and domestic supply meeting only about 10% of the demand, China represents a great potential market.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung said China consumes over 4 billion coconuts annually, of which approximately 2.6 billion are fresh ones.

China’s high demand but limited production capacity presents an opportunity for the Vietnamese product.

Statistics from the MARD show that the fresh coconut ranks sixth in export value among fruit items, following durian, dragon fruit, banana, mango, and jackfruit. The fruit’s export earnings in the first 10 months of 2024 is projected to reach over 120 million USD.

With a sharp rise of fresh coconut exports, the fruit sector has more opportunities to create breakthroughs in exports, potentially reaching the milestone of 10 billion USD set by the MARD.