On September 29th, Mr. Cao Bá Đăng Khoa, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Vietnam Coconut Association, announced his recent meeting with the Thai Trade Counselor in Ho Chi Minh City. The purpose was to establish a supply chain for coconut raw materials from Thailand to Vietnamese processing plants.
Thai Coconuts Face Export Challenges
According to Mr. Khoa, coconuts from Thai provinces bordering Cambodia are currently facing export difficulties due to border tensions, resulting in lower prices.
This situation has led to a significant increase in coconut exports from Vietnam to Cambodia, reaching $3.6 million in the first seven months of 2025, a 681-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
Thai coconuts offer the advantage of quick sea transportation (under 10 days), allowing Vietnamese factories to utilize both coconut meat and water for processing, unlike Indonesian coconuts, which are primarily used for their meat.
Mr. Khoa considers Thai coconuts a high-quality, fresh, and competitively priced resource.
A coconut collection point in the Mekong Delta
Dried Coconut Prices Cool Down
As previously reported by Bao Nguoi Lao Dong, in mid-September, dried coconut prices in Vinh Long and Can Tho reached 230,000-240,000 VND per dozen (12 coconuts), a significant increase from the 100,000-130,000 VND per dozen at the beginning of 2025.
Currently, prices have slightly decreased to around 16,000-17,000 VND per coconut for peeled coconuts weighing 600 grams or more. Certain coconut varieties in the Mekong Delta, with larger weights (1.2-1.8 kg per coconut), are favored by traders and fetch higher prices.
Mr. Khoa attributes the price drop to increased domestic supply due to the rainy season and abundant imports. However, current prices still provide good profits for farmers and reduce costs for processing plants.
In the first seven months of 2025, Vietnam imported $31.2 million worth of coconuts, an 1,873% increase compared to the same period last year, primarily from Indonesia.
Coconuts are a rapidly expanding crop due to their high economic value and ease of cultivation. However, uncontrolled expansion has led to issues such as non-standardized varieties, making exports challenging and prices low.
Coconut Prices Skyrocket to Unprecedented Highs
The recent surge in the price of dried coconuts can be attributed to a significant increase in demand from international export markets.
9 Coconut Plantations Prepared for Global Export
“Tra Vinh’s Vice Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Le Van Dong, proudly announced that the province boasts nine coconut-growing regions, spanning over 1,240 hectares. These regions have successfully met the stringent requirements of the protocol on phytosanitary regulations for exporting fresh Vietnamese coconuts to China.”
A Fruit Just Doubled in Price After Just a Month of Heat
After only 1 month, the wholesale price of fresh coconut has nearly doubled, so traders must find a way to reduce the shock to consumers.
