Mekong Delta sustainable coconut industry development

Agricultural development in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is shifting toward sustainable, organic, and diversified farming models to increase economic value and meet international export standards.

In Vinh Long province, which contains over 61% of the country’s coconut area, efforts are underway to transition toward organic standards required by the US, EU, and Japan. The Asia Ingredients Group (AIG) is supporting this transition by providing technical assistance, production materials, and cultivation cost assistance to more than 19,000 farming households across 18 communes. This initiative aligns with provincial goals to establish a “green, circular, and modern coconut industry through 2045” using the company’s Asia Coconut Processing factory system.

In Dong Thap province, farmers are diversifying livelihoods through intercropping, specifically planting cacao within coconut groves to utilize shade and maximize land use. While market stability was previously a challenge, the presence of the Xuan Ron Cho Gao Cocoa Co., Ltd. processing plant has revitalized interest. Local authorities plan to expand this cacao-coconut intercropping model to over 3,000 hectares.