Coconut is one of the main crops bring high economic value, contributing to the creation of jobs for the people of Ben Tre. Coconut products are always large proportion of the total exports of the province.
But recently, the situation of exporting coconut are having a lot of difficulties. It requires Ben Tre coconut industry needs to diversify markets, invest technology , improve product quality to reach increasingly coconut products in the world market.
Currently, Ben Tre coconut area is biggest in Vietnam, (over 52,000 ha), left more than 400 million / year, accounting for over 35% of the country's coconut production. Value of coconut products from more than 25% of total industrial output value of the province. Turnover exported coconut products accounted for 40% of the total export turnover of Ben Tre.
Export turnover of Ben Tre coconut products increased rapidly in the past 10 years, the high proportion of the province's export structure. In 2000, exports of coconut products is $ 17 million, and in 2011 increased to 159 million USD. Each coconut industry in creating value increased by 4.000 billion, creating jobs for 60,000 workers.
Demand for coconut products in the world more and more. Including outstanding products and is preferred by many consumers found desiccated coconut, coconut milk powder, canned coconut milk is used in the food industry, confectionery processing, the daily dish . In particular, the Muslim nations and developing countries tend to use vegetable fats instead of animal fat to growing exports of coconut products.
In 2000, Ben Tre coconut products are exported to 23 countries and territories in 2005, exports to 48 countries and territories, in 2010 exports to 65 countries and territories. Market structure with the appropriate shift in the orientation of the province's export development program and development trend of international economic integration.
However, in the early months of 2012, the export situation of Ben Tre trouble. According to the Department of Industry and Trade in Ben Tre province, exports grew slowly (6.82%), mainly an increase in exports (14.23%), in particular prices of major exports are reduced ( 7.31 percent); prices decreased, especially in coconut products, the lowest discount is 20% and the highest loss is desiccated coconut discount on 50% over the same period.
According to Truong Minh Nhut, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade in BenTreProvince, the reason this situation is due to the global financial crisis reduced demand in major markets, but has now recovered but also slow. Recently affected the political instability in some countries, the Middle East, North Africa, the debt crisis in some European countries also affect the export market of Ben Tre particular and the country in general.
Besides, the inner coconut industry also exist many problems such as coconut products from diverse but still contain low levels of intelligence should bring economic value is not high. Ben Tre coconut industry has long formed uninterrupted segments of the stages: Planting, supply of raw materials, processing, service, trade, import and export. However, the stage is only attached to each other through each stage of the product purchase, not closely linked. Therefore, when the coconut industry difficulties, "up everyone concerned" make the link segment, interrupted.
Faced with these difficulties, Mr. Truong Minh Nhut, trade and industry Ben Tre will actively promote and improve trade promotion activities, the efficient utilization of market opportunities open from the FTA. Support businesses to promote marketing activities, enabling businesses to stabilize traditional markets, expand and penetrate new markets.
Diversification of export markets to reduce the risk of global market volatility, linking the domestic market to the export market in the direction of development of the domestic market to create a source of supply of goods for export, at the same time open export markets to stimulate the development of production in the province better.
On the other hand, the dynamic enterprises must respond positively and quickly to the changes of domestic and foreign markets; researchers understand market conditions, invest machinery, renovation technology, organization of production, choosing to focus production of high value-added products to meet the needs of the market, improve product quality to national and internati onal standards.
