In Tra Vinh province, the low price of coconut caused farmers to no longer be excited about the tree. The productivity of coconut also decreased significantly. Many farmers even cut down coconut trees to switch to other crops.
The low price of coconut makes Tra Vinh farmers no longer excited about the tree. (Photo: Internet)
For nearly six months, the price of dried coconut in Tra Vinh province has been decreasing sharply. This has made the income of coconut growers significantly affected. Currently, the price of dried coconut purchased by traders in Tra Vinh only fluctuates at 37,000 – 47,000 VND/dozen, decreased by about 70,000 VND/dozen compared to the beginning of December 2021.
Mr. Le Van Thuong’s family, My Cam commune, Cang Long district has had a major income from one hectare of coconut for many years. Each month, his family harvest about 800 – 1,000 fruits. Based on the average selling price of 80,000 VND/dozens of years, Mr. Thuong’s family earns about 60 million VND/year. However, for many recent months, the price of dried coconut has always been low, causing his family’s income very unstable.
In the same context, Ms. Duong Thi Ly, My Cam commune, Cang Long district also fully depends on her family’s 0.7-hectare coconut garden. In the last months of 2021, the price of coconut offered by traders was 120,000 VND/dozen but now only 40,000 VND/dozen. Coconut price goes down sharply while fertilizer costs increase, making Ms. Ly’s family no longer excited about the coconut garden.
Facing the above situation, the district agricultural sector recommends that farmers should not rush to cut down coconut trees, because this tree has been selected by Tra Vinh province to upgrade the value chain to create sustainable income for farmers.
Coconut is identified as the main crop of Tra Vinh because it is suitable for soil conditions and climate change adaptation. The province currently has nearly 90,000 households growing coconut, with more than seven million trees over a total area of nearly 25,000 hectares. They are mainly concentrated in the districts of Cai Long, Tieu Can, and Chau Thanh.
Tra Vinh’s coconut growing area ranks second in the country, just after Ben Tre province, with the production reaching about 300 million fruits/year.
Mr. Le Van Dong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tra Vinh province, said that the unit is submitting to the Provincial People’s Committee for approval of the Strategy for upgrading the coconut value chain of Tra Vinh province in the period 2022 – 2025. This Strategy will focus on solutions to create connections to sustainably develop coconut product chains, call for investment and support for coconut enterprises, and develop concentrated coconut material areas under VietGAP or organic standards associated with processing facilities.
The provincial agricultural sector is actively encouraging coconut growers who follow organic production to improve the value chain of coconut trees, generating stable income. Farmers participating in the construction of organic coconut material areas for enterprises will be committed to purchasing at a price 10-15% higher than the market price.