HANOI, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has targeted annual revenue of 1 billion U.S. dollars from exporting coconut products with more value-added semi-processed and processed coconuts, local newspaper Vietnam News reported Monday.
Vietnam earned 900 million U.S. dollars from export of coconuts and other byproducts last year, becoming the fourth largest exporter in the Asia-Pacific region, the Vietnam Coconut Association said.
The local industry has developed about 200 coconut-based foods, Cao Ba Dang Khoa, the association's acting general secretary, said.
He added that besides traditional products, processing companies are tapping into export markets of other coconut-based products such as coconut shell and fiber, especially coconut woods which can offer huge potential for increasing export revenues.
"Coconut wood is one of the country's highest valued woods," Khoa said.
The association said it will work with local authorities to expand production capacity and increase promotion of coconut products.
The Southeast Asian country is among the biggest coconut producers in the world with production of 1.87 million tons in 2021, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Vietnam's coconut farming area covers 175,000 hectares concentrated mainly in the Mekong Delta. ■
