Ben Tre coconut. Photo: Vietnam+

Businesses from the southern province of Ben Tre have found new markets for their coconut products in the Republic of Korea, China’s Taiwan and Eastern Europe.

This is an optimistic result of local efforts to reduce reliance on the Chinese market which previously accounted for between 40-50 percent of the province’s coconut export value, head of the Export Management section under the provincial Industry and Trade Department Nguyen Van Phong said at a review meeting on July 16.

In the first half of this year, the province earned 27.32 million USD from sales of farm produce, mainly coconut and coconut products, to China, accounting for 9.69 percent of the total export revenues. The ratio for the entire year is projected to stand around 15-20 percent.

According to Deputy Director of Luong Quoi coconut processing company Huynh Thi Cam Chau, canned coconut milk and desiccated coconut are selling well in the Middle East and the US.

The provincial Department of Industry and Trade has asked businesses to enhance processing capacity and diversifying products for both domestic and foreign consumption, while limiting shipments of fresh coconuts to China.

Source: VNA