Vietnam’s roadmap for integration via free trade agreements is boosting the export of its traditional products. With its advantage of being the coconut growing land, Ben Tre is facing opportunities to promote coconut products. Many local businesses have been investing in organic products for consumers’ health, along with the commitment to accompany farmers through comprehensive support policies and close cooperation models for sustainable development.
Coconut trees, the trees of millennium goals, are the answer to the question about the risks of climate change and rising sea level
With the largest coconut growing area of Vietnam, approximately 67,000 ha, Ben Tre leads in coconut output of more than 50,000 fruits per year, accounting for 40 percent of the country’s total. About 40 percent of the local population and over 2,000 enterprises operate in coconut production and business in Ben Tre. High in economic value, coconut plants stick with local people’s life. Making products from coconuts (desiccated coconut, coconut shell charcoal, coconut oil, coconut fiber, coconut wood and candies, handicrafts, etc.) contributes over 25 percent of total industrial manufacturing value with a wide range of exporting markets in over 50 countries and regions around the world.
Since the early winter-spring harvest of 2015-2016, due to the El Nino phenomenon, climate change and the impacts of the upstream Mekong River, droughts and saline intrusion are getting worse in the Mekong Delta, which seriously affects farming and aquatic breeding there. This environment, however, brings the ideal condition for the coconuts’ growth. Especially adapting to the brackish water, coconut trees play an essential part in sustainable agricultural development in the coastal deltas like Ben Tre. Thus coconut trees here grow well, with overproduction recorded. Giong Trom, Chau Thanh and Mo Cay are among the districts leading in coconut growing area in Ben Tre.
According to the Vietnam Research Institute for Oil and Oil Plants, decreasing and adaption to the impacts of climate change are the key matters in agriculture. Only by setting up a sustainable agriculture management system would the problems be resolved. Coconut trees, the trees of millennium goals, are the answer to the question about the risks of climate change and rising sea level.
Regarding the prediction of long-lasting droughts and saline intrusion, to strengthen coconut production seems a comprehensive solution to stabilize people’s income in Ben Tre. Ben Tre Import Export Joint Stock Company (Betrimex) ranks among the leading businesses to apply close association models in producing, processing, and consuming coconuts as well as support technology, fertilizers, etc.
Last harvest, Betrimex purchased coconuts at the price of VND50,000 every ten fruits with total assistance value for coconut farmers reaching nearly VND1.5 billion (from June to August), while the average price was VND35,000-40,000 only for such a set. By the end of 2015, more than 2,000 coconut farmers had cooperated with Betrimex and got their products consumed, with a total growing area of 2,000 ha. Moreover, Betrimex is actively running many programs to accompany farmers and upgrade the level of Vietnamese coconuts such as: greening sample coconut plantations, constructing organic material zones, investing in high technology, and others. In 2015, Betrimex invested more than US$20 million in constructing a coconut juice and milk factory which supplies canned coconut milk and water to the domestic market and that in Europe, the Americas, Africa, etc.
According to Mr. Luong Hang An, a coconut farmer in Hamlet 4, Nhon Thanh Commune, Ben Tre Province, since applying Betrimex’s farming model, his family and neighborhood have felt secure to cultivate thanks to the proper farming guidance aimed at stabilizing coconuts’ productivity and quality. In addition, their output purchased at fair prices helps improve their income. As a seasonal worker in Betrimex’s coconut processing factory, he also appreciates this company’s interest in caring for its employees’ life, especially when Ms. Dang Huynh Uc My, chairwoman of Betrimex, offered her employees gifts of gratitude in the program "Betrinmex – Warm Gratitude" in 2015.
Till now coconuts have not been recognized as an industrial tree without a comprehensive investment plan. Aware of the coming challenges, Ms. Dang Huynh Uc My has devoted herself to accompanying coconut farmers to promote the trees’ value in the same way as sugarcane. This is supposed to be the mission of businesses. Known for 36-year-family traditions associated with Vietnam’s sugarcane industry, Ms. My has held important positions in such sugar companies as Thanh Thanh Cong JSC (TTC), Thanh Thanh Cong Tay Ninh JSC (TTCS), and Bien Hoa Sugar JSC (BHS). As a vice chairwoman of TTC Group at the moment, she keeps applying professional and standard administrative and operating methods to set up an efficient management system in those companies.
Betrimex focuses on strengthening its management, operation, production and sales, from cultivation and cooperation policies for farmers to harvesting, purchase and the synchronization of production and preservation, as well as distribution and market expansion. Betrimex’s coconut milk products, branded Cocoxim, are approaching the market with international certification of quality, their comfort and benefits for customers’ health. Coming in four flavors: Green, Pineapple, Lotus and Kumquat, Cocoxim now appears in most of the domestic store systems, towards high-end markets such as the UK, Singapore, South Korea, etc. Ms. My completely agrees with the motto “Getting Success with Kindness” and expresses the honor of the brand through the company’s responsibility and the resonance with customers, partners and the social community.
Besides the hallmarks in Vietnam’s sugarcane industry, now the young businesswoman has been set her heart to Ben Tre coconuts, with the belief that sustainable development goes along with practical contributions to the social community. Full exploitation of the whole coconuts’ chain value and “Win – Win” solutions between farmers and producers help create solid and qualified material zones, which is the basis of the companionship between planters and manufacturers as well as the improvement of local people’s life quality and the development of the local economy.
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