From the ugly coconut shells, but through the sewing machine, the people of Ben Tre have earned hundreds of billions of dong every year.
Only coconut fiber is one of the main export items of Ben Tre province.
From an almost waste coconut shell, through a coir separator machine, two high-value products will be obtained: coir and coco peat (coconut bran). Currently, coco peat is an important product that is popular in the market because it is used as a substitute for soil in seedling production. In addition, coco peat is also used to compost microbiological fertilizers, organic fertilizers ...
Seedlings and ornamental flower villages in the Mekong Delta consume very strongly coco peat. Ngoc Vinh seedling production facility (in Hung Khanh Trung A commune, Mo Cay Bac district, Ben Tre province) besides producing and trading seedlings, it also invests in equipment to separate acne, only coir to serve the needs of daily and sold to the market. Ms. Nguyen Thi Vinh, owner of Ngoc Vinh seedling production facility, said: "I realized that the amount of coconut shells backlog was very large in the locality, so I invested in a machine to separate coir and coco peat to sell to the market. Each 10kg bag of coco peat costs 23,000 VND, each ton of only coir after being pressed into bales has an export value of about 2.5-3 million VND. Every day the facility produces about 7 tons of coco peat, 2 tons of only coir but not enough to supply the market.
Besides coco peat, now coir carpet products also help increase the value of only raw coir. Dong Duong Coconut Co., Ltd in Tan An hamlet, Tan Binh commune, Mo Cay Bac district, is a pioneer in Ben Tre developing this product for export, earning about 5 billion VND/month. Mr. Le Thanh Tien, Director of the Company, shared: “Compared to the price of raw silk from 3,000 VND/kg when the finished product is worth over 10,000 VND/kg. Each 10m2 rug has an export value of over 45USD. Every month, the company exports 30-40 containers to Korea, Japan and Europe, earning about 5 billion VND in revenue.
The processed coconut shell has become the main export product of Ben Tre province, bringing in hundreds of billions of dong per year and creating significant jobs for local workers. “Dong Duong Coconut Co., Ltd. is creating jobs for about 80 workers, with an income of 7.5 million VND/month. In addition, 6 satellite facilities of the Company, each with more than 10 employees, also have a stable income from weaving coir carpets "- Mr. Tien shared.
Mr. Vo Van Chien, Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Ben Tre province, said: “Ben Tre province has over 72,000 hectares of coconut with an output of over 600 million fruits per year. Products from coconut are many, in which coconut shells use a machine to break out threads and acne. Only coconut fiber is used for wire weaving, carpet weaving, coco peat combined with some types of microbial fertilizer used as fertilizer in the production of seedlings very effectively. Therefore, using all coconut products without leaving anything, including coconut shells, damaged coconuts... helps increase the value of coconut trees."
According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Ben Tre province, at present only coir is one of the main export items of the province. In 2019, Ben Tre province exported nearly 49,000 tons, in 2020 nearly 45,000 tons. Particularly in 2021, the world market faces many difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coconut production is affected by the salt drought in 2020, so the province aims to export about 30,000 tons of coir only.
Post, photo: BINH MINH
