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| A organic coconut flower nectar product of Sokfarm (Photo: sokfarm.com) |
As scheduled, the firm will continue to export its second shipment to this market after two weeks.
Pham Dinh Ngai, CEO of Sokfarm, said blossom products from coconut flower nectar of the company have been officially exported to Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, the US, and Australia.
The company currently owns a 20-hectare coconut plantation certified with international organic certifications such as USDA (US), EU (Europe), JAS (Japan), and Canada Organic (Canada).
Currently, Sokfarm is investing in constructing new production facilities with a daily production capacity of 10-12 tonnes of coconut flower nectar.
The firm plans to expand its raw material plantation area to 50 ha and purchase the nectar from 80 local coconut-growing households, generating jobs for 100 labourers.
By 2029, the company aims to develop a 300-hectare raw material area, establish production linkages with and consume products of 500 households, and create jobs for 400 local workers.
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| The shipment of organic coconut flower nectar products is prepared to export to Australia (Photo: VNA) |
Le Van Dong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Sokfarm's organic condensed coconut nectar has been recognised as a specialty of Tra Vinh. The product has been sold in more than 30 provinces and cities nationwide, and exported to many demanding markets. Currently, the company is marketing six main products to.
Tra Vinh, the country’s second largest coconut producer after neighbouring Ben Tre province, has nearly 27,400 ha of coconut, mostly in Cang Long, Tieu Can, and Cau Ke districts. It plans to widen its coconut growing area to 30,000ha by 2030.
The locality is home to more than 50 companies, co-operatives, and households which make products such as dried coconut flesh, coconut milk, coconut oil, and others for both domestic consumption and exports.
Vietnam National Brand Week 2024 opens
The Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) opened the Vietnam National Brand Week 2024 in Hanoi on April 16, said the Vietnam News Agency.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan, who is also Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Value Programme Council, hailed the Vietnamese business community’s efforts to promote the growth of the Vietnam National Brand amidst geopolitical volatility that has negatively impacted the domestic production, trade, and investment.
The Vietnam National Brand skyrocketed 102% during 2019-2023, valued at 498.13 billion USD in 2023, he said, citing a report by the UK’s brand evaluation consultancy Brand Finance.
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| Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan speaks at the opening ceremony. (Photo: VNA) |
The Southeast Asian country ranked 33rd out of the 121 countries and territories in terms of brand value last year, which affirms its prestige and better position in the international arena and demonstrates its stature in the international integration.
Over the past 20 years, the Vietnam National Brand programme has supported localities, associations, and enterprises to develop their brands, and raised public awareness of the strong connection between the national brand, and product and business brands to improve national competitive edge, he stressed.
An international forum on Vietnam National Brand, themed “elevating the core values”, was held in the framework of the week, serving as a venue for management agencies, experts, and domestic and foreign organizations to discuss measures to build and develop brands.
CNN names Vietnamese dumpling among world’s tastiest
Banh bot loc (Vietnamese tapioca dumpling), a specialty originating from the former imperial capital of Hue, has been selected as one of the world’s 35 tastiest dumplings by CNN, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
As introduced by CNN, Banh bot loc is Vietnamese pork and shrimp dumpling with wrappers made from tapioca flour.
When cooked, tapioca flour becomes clear, giving the dumpling its translucent appearance and the wrapper its chewy texture.
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| Banh bot loc (Vietnamese tapioca dumpling) has been named one of the world’s 35 tastiest dumplings by CNN. (Photo courtesy of Fanpage Thua Thien Hue) |
The tapioca dumplings are available across Vietnam in two major variations: wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, or boiled.
In some food stalls, you can order pork sausage (cha) to eat with the dumplings. A serving will cost from 15,000-20,000 VND (0.6-0.8 USD).
Other dumplings on the list were Xiaolongbao (Chinese dumplings steamed in bamboo baskets), Siomay (Indonesian steamed fish dumpling), Hong Kong-style shrimp wonton, kartoffelknoedel potato dumplings in Germany and Japanese gyoza.
The Vietnamese dumpling gained previous international recognition when it was put on CNN’s list of the world’s 30 most delicious steamed cakes, accompanied by worldwide favourites such as Shanghai’s baozi (steamed buns) and Italy’s ravioli.
Vietnam becomes largest banana exporter to Chinese market
Vietnam has surpassed the Philippines to become the largest exporter of bananas to China, accounting for 51.5% of the total amount of bananas imported by the market, Radio the Voice of Vietnam quoted the information of the Import-Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The department cited statistics from the General Administration of Customs China, saying China imported 336,900 tonnes of bananas worth US$159.9 million during the first two months of the year, up 6.1% in volume but down 17.2% in value compared to the same period last year.
The average price of imported bananas reached US$474.5 per tonne, marking a drop of 21.9% year on year.
Vietnam alone exported 173,500 tonnes worth US$70.3 million to China during the reviewed period, up 21% in volume and 1.4% in value.
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| Vietnam becomes the largest banana exporter to Chinese market (Photo: thannong24h.vn) |
Most notably, China moved to increase banana imports from the Vietnamese market, but decreased imports from the Philippines. The Philippines’ low production output has fueled a general rise in costs, creating a significant price gap with Vietnamese bananas.
Moreover, according to information given by Import-Export Department, in the past Philippine bananas were highly appreciated due to their flavour. However, at present, the quality of the fruit is not meeting the expectations of consumers.
Therefore, Chinese customers are increasingly keen on Vietnamese and Cambodian bananas./.