Coconut industry growth revives local livelihoods

In Vinh Long province, which has the largest coconut-growing area in Vietnam, the coconut industry alone accounts for around 8% of the province’s industrial production value. Coconut is not only regaining its importance, but also creating more jobs, including traditional and manual work, providing local workers with stable livelihoods in their own communities.

"- On average, I trim 500 to 600 coconuts a day.

- At first, I trimmed about 500 coconuts a day. Now, I can do 800 to 900."

Skilled hands move quickly to prepare the coconuts.

For fresh coconut exports, trimming is an important step. Much of the work is still done by hand to ensure a clean, attractive appearance and make the coconuts easier to process and preserve for shipment to overseas markets.

Pham Van Den, Factory Supervisor, Vina T&T Import Export Trading Service Company said: Coconuts naturally vary in shape and size, so we have to trim them by hand to make them uniform. Machines cannot trim them evenly. Local workers are already familiar with this work, so they can shape the coconuts very well.

There were times when fresh coconut prices fell to just 80 cents to one US dollar for 12 coconuts. Many local workers who once grew or traded coconuts had to find other jobs. Few could have imagined that one day, they would return to the coconut industry.

Nguyen Van Kien Em, Vinh Long Province said: I’ve been doing this for about five years. Before that, I used to buy and sell coconuts. But as more people entered the business, it became harder to sell, so I quit and started trimming coconuts instead. I now earn 400 to 800 US dollars a month.

"Together my child and I earn 40 to 80 US dollars a day, so our income is more stable. Even working on my own for about 20 days a month, life is already easier. I just hope we can export more coconuts so local people can have a better life". Added Nguyen Thi Truc, Vinh Long Province.

Once a construction worker, Thach Saray returned home when he could no longer handle heavy labor. He took up the traditional Khmer craft of collecting coconut nectar, which had once been fading away. As the market expands, growing demand and stable income are helping more local people earn a living close to home.

Thach Saray, Cay He Hamlet, Tieu Can Commune, Vinh Long Province said: I collect 60 to 70 liters a day. I collect it four times, at 4 a.m., 9 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The income is enough for me to make a decent living.

Nguyen Truc Son, Vice Chairman, People’s Committee of Vinh Long Province said: "The coconut is known as the “tree of life”, supporting hundreds of thousands of farming households. The industry has seen many ups and downs. When prices were low, farmers lost interest and even cut down their trees. Today, they see coconut as an essential part of agriculture.

The growing coconut industry is creating more jobs in rural areas. As the value chain expands, traditional livelihoods are being revived and new jobs are emerging. Beyond its growing economic value, the coconut industry is giving more local people the opportunity to build a livelihood in their own communities.