VINAGRI News - Fresh coconut has overtaken dragon fruit to become Vietnam’s second-largest fruit and vegetable export, recording growth of over 36.6% in 2025. However, without rapid standardization of varieties, growing areas, and value chains, this momentum may prove difficult to sustain.
Summary:
> Fresh coconut surpassed dragon fruit to become Vietnam’s second-largest fruit and vegetable export in 2025.
> Export value reached about USD 534 million, up more than 36.6% year on year.
> Market access to China, along with approvals from the US and growing demand in Europe, has driven growth.
> Health and green consumption trends have boosted demand for fresh coconut and coconut water.
> Structural weaknesses persist, including unstandardized varieties, fragmented growing areas, and unstable supply.
> Without urgent standardization and value chain development, current gains may not be sustainable.
The rise of fresh coconut above dragon fruit to claim second place in Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export rankings in 2025 is a notable development. With export growth of 36.6% and an estimated export value of around USD 534 million, fresh coconut is emerging as a new bright spot in Vietnam’s agricultural exports. Unlike durian, which is often associated with short-term “booms,” coconut’s growth has been relatively quiet but steady, driven more by structural market trends than by seasonal volatility.
The biggest catalyst has been market access. Official exports of fresh coconuts to China since 2024 have fundamentally reshaped the sector’s outlook. China imports around five billion coconuts annually, of which fresh coconuts account for approximately 2.6 billion units. This means that even a small market share can translate into double-digit growth for Vietnamese coconuts. Vietnam’s advantage of sharing a land border with China allows faster delivery, better freshness, and, at times, more competitive logistics costs compared with coconuts from Thailand and other producers.
At the same time, the United States has approved imports of husked and peeled coconuts, while European markets increasingly favor products aligned with green consumption trends. As technical barriers continue to rise, fresh coconut benefits from being a minimally processed product, making it easier to tell a story around nature, sustainability, and health. This is an advantage many other fruits - highly dependent on post-harvest treatments - struggle to replicate.
The global “green and healthy” consumption trend has become a second major driver. Coconut water is widely promoted as a “natural electrolyte,” low in sugar and rich in minerals, fitting well with today’s healthy lifestyles. As sugar-sweetened beverages face growing pressure from excise taxes, coconut water moves in the opposite direction, increasingly associated with sports, yoga, and clean eating. As a result, the commercial value of fresh coconut lies not only in the fruit itself but also in the green and healthy consumption narrative behind it.
Advances in preservation technology have also contributed to growth. Peeling, weight reduction, and extended shelf life of 45 - 60 days allow fresh coconuts to reach more distant markets and reduce reliance on overland transport. Some growing areas in the Mekong Delta have already adopted GlobalGAP standards, taking initial steps toward meeting residue limits and traceability requirements.
However, the outlook is not entirely positive. According to the Vietnam Coconut Association, the risk of losing competitiveness in the Chinese market is real. Domestic raw material prices have risen sharply, and at times exporters have had to import coconuts to fulfill contracts with foreign buyers. An unstable supply base is gradually eroding Vietnam’s competitive edge.
The root of the problem lies in production areas. Vietnam has advantages in native coconut varieties and biodiversity, with around 16 varieties suitable for fresh consumption. Yet farmers often plant based on personal preference rather than planning or standardized seed selection. As a result, a single shipment of several containers may include coconuts of varying sizes, flavors, and quality. For increasingly demanding import markets, this is a significant challenge.
Unlike dried coconut, which has developed a relatively complete processing chain, fresh coconut still lacks leading investors. Few enterprises are deeply involved across the chain - from seedlings and cultivation techniques to contract farming and offtake. This fragmented value chain increases the risk of disruption and undermines the sector’s long-term stability.
Retail prices further expose structural contradictions. According to the Vietnam Coconut Association, a Vietnamese coconut can sell for about VND 140,000 in the United States, nearly VND 190,000 in Europe, and around VND 70,000 in Beijing - showing a vast gap compared with farmgate prices. Yet this gap is not driven by differences in coconut water quality, but by transparency requirements. Import markets increasingly demand growing area codes, farming logs, and organic certifications - areas where domestic agriculture, including coconut, still faces persistent weaknesses.
Fresh coconut’s rise in the export rankings is an encouraging signal, but it cannot yet be considered a sustainable success. Without rapid planning of growing areas, standardization of varieties, quality control from the source, and accelerated digital transformation, today’s advantages could quickly be eroded. The current second-place position in fruit and vegetable exports may ultimately prove to be only a fleeting moment.
NPK/ Vinagri News
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