After months of decline, fresh coconut prices in the Mekong Delta and retail markets in Ho Chi Minh City have rebounded strongly.
The main driver has been prolonged hot weather, which has sharply increased demand for cooling drinks, while stronger export activity has also boosted consumption.
Persistent hot weather has pushed fresh coconut prices up by VND 2,000-VND 3,000, or roughly USD 0.08-USD 0.12, per fruit in recent days (Photo: Huan Tran).
Nguyen Muoi, a trader selling fresh coconuts near Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market in Tam Binh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, said prices had risen rapidly over the past week.
Small red Siam coconuts are now selling for around VND 13,000 (approximately USD 0.50) each, while larger ones are priced at about VND 16,000 (approximately USD 0.62), up around VND 1,000 from a few days earlier.
Similarly, Ho Dinh San, who runs a peeled coconut business in Tan Phu Ward, said he had raised prices by about VND 2,600 (approximately USD 0.10) per coconut due to higher input costs.
Traders said Siam coconut prices were climbing because the peak hot season had increased demand for coconut water, while dry weather had reduced productivity.
This imbalance between supply and demand has pushed prices higher, and strong market demand has also made it harder for processing facilities to secure enough raw materials.
Vietnam's fresh coconuts have strong export advantages thanks to their mild sweetness and fresh aroma, which are favoured in many markets (Photo: Huan Tran).
Vinh Long and Dong Thap are currently the two largest coconut-growing areas in the Mekong Delta.
Vinh Long alone has nearly 123,000 hectares of coconut plantations, accounting for around 60 per cent of Vietnam’s total coconut cultivation area.
According to the Vinh Long Department of Agriculture and Environment, the local coconut sector recorded major fluctuations in the first quarter of 2026.
Dry coconut prices fell sharply from the start of the year compared with the same period last year, at one point dropping to just VND 40,000-60,000 (approximately USD 1.50-2.30) per ten coconuts, equivalent to a decline of up to two-thirds.
However, from mid-April, prices began recovering as seasonal supply declined.
In contrast, fresh coconut prices rose strongly to between VND 90,000 and VND 130,000 (approximately USD 3.50-5) per ten coconuts thanks to stronger domestic demand and increased export purchases.
In the first three months of the year, businesses in the province exported more than 16 million dry coconuts, mainly to Thailand and China.
Fresh coconut exports also continued expanding into markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
More than 60 per cent of dry coconut output has now been used for deep processing, producing higher-value products such as coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut milk powder and activated carbon.
This has helped improve economic efficiency and reduce dependence on raw material exports.
In Vinh Long alone, coconut and coconut-based exports reached more than USD 135 million by the end of the first quarter, up 6.73 per cent year on year and accounting for more than 15 per cent of the province’s total export turnover.
Despite the positive results, the sector still faces major challenges.
Sharp and unstable price fluctuations make it difficult for both farmers and businesses to build long-term plans.
Links between companies and cooperatives have been established but remain weak, preventing the development of sustainable raw material zones.
Coconut processing for export at a facility in Vinh Long Province (Photo: Huan Tran).
According to Chau Van Hoa, vice chairman of the Vinh Long People’s Committee, the province needs to focus on improving product quality, controlling supply and strengthening connections across the value chain.
The goal is to raise annual coconut export turnover to between USD 700 million and USD 1 billion in major markets such as the United States, the EU and Japan.