Vietnam - Myanmar strengthen cooperation in building coconut material areas and agricultural trade.
Within the framework of the 17th CLMV Economic Ministers' Meeting on November 7, 2025 in Myanmar, the delegation of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam coordinated with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations of Myanmar and the Ministry of Commerce of Myanmar to organize the "Vietnam - Myanmar Business Connection Conference. Promoting Vietnam - Myanmar Trade and Investment Cooperation" in Yangon City - Myanmar.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, Phan Thi Thang, said that he highly appreciated the cooperation between the Coconut Industry Association of the two countries. These are cooperation directions that are suitable for the development needs of each country, while contributing to the regional value chain in the context of the increasingly deep integration of the ASEAN Economic Community.
Attending and speaking were Ms. Wah Wah Maung, Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations of Myanmar, Mr. U Minn Minn, Deputy Minister of Commerce of Myanmar.
At the conference, Mr. Cao Ba Dang Khoa, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Coconut Association, introduced the potential and strengths of the Vietnamese coconut industry. He said that Vietnam set a target of 2025 - 2030 to turn the Mekong Delta into the center of production and processing of coconut products in Asia, which requires a stable domestic raw material area and cooperation to form a raw material area for deep processing factories of Vietnamese coconut products in ASEAN member countries. According to Mr. Cao Ba Dang Khoa, although the coconut growing area in Vietnam is not large and is often intercropped in fruit orchards, productivity and added value have continuously increased in recent years. If in 2017, there were only 15 factories producing and exporting coconut products, by 2024, this number will have reached more than 80 factories. Of which, 45 are deep processing factories, helping the coconut industry's export turnover surpass the billion USD mark.
Along with exporting processed products, Vietnam also exports raw materials and fresh coconuts, causing domestic demand to increase sharply. Many businesses have had to import raw coconuts from other countries to maintain production.
In Myanmar, coconut trees are widely grown in the two states of Shan and Mon, with a total area of more than 5,000 hectares, concentrated in the North (2,800 hectares) and the South of Shan State (2,400 hectares). Annual coconut output reaches 30,000-40,000 tons, with peak harvest season from July to September. Coconut varieties are mainly sourced from the Hsipaw region, and most of the output is consumed in the Mandalay and Yangon markets.
Vietnam aims to become a potential raw material area for the Vietnamese business community, within a close distance convenient for trade and transportation. The Vietnam Coconut Association has cooperated with the Myanmar Coconut Producers and Traders Association - MCPTA on exchanging experiences and training programs on coconut planting techniques, care and prevention of pests and diseases for coconuts to support the Myanmar coconut industry to become a potential raw material area in the future.
At the Conference, the Vietnam Coconut Association signed a MOU with the Myanmar Coconut Producers and Traders Association - MCPTA to implement a specific action plan for the period 2026 - 2030 and signed an MOU between the Vietnam Coconut Association - VCA and the Myanmar Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association - MFVP on cooperation in connecting trade of agricultural fruits between the two countries.
SKYPAC VIETNAM Company also signed a cooperation agreement with Mai Air Myanmar on coordination of two-way transportation and freight transport as well as logistic support services for businesses.
In Myanmar, BIDV Vietnam Bank has also established a representative bank to provide financial and payment services to support businesses.
