The third Coconut Festival opened on April 5 in the Mekong Delta'sprovince of Ben Tre with several cultural activities to honour thearea's native fruit.
The opening ceremony for thefive-day festival took place on a floating stage on Truc Giang Lake inBen Tre City, with the participation of more than 5,000 local residents,coconut farmers and representatives from provinces planting coconuttrees in the country.
High officials seen at theceremony were Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and Laos 's Deputy PrimeMinister Somsavat Lengsavad.
The vice presidentencouraged Ben Tre and other provinces to expand the cultivation area ofcoconut trees, invest more factories for coconut processing.
"Coconut trees not only bring economic value, but contribute to theclimate change adaptation, so scientists need to pay more attention onthis purpose from planting the tree," she said, adding that market forthe products from the tree should be expanded.
Thevice president, who expressed happiness to see the development of theprovince, also urged scientists to improve research to arrive at abetter coconut strain, which can help increase the income of farmers.Developing craft villages for tourism development will also create morejobs.
Nguyen Van Hieu, chairman of the province'sPeople's committee, said coconut tree has become an important part ofincome to several households in the province. There have been hundredskind of products made from the trees.
During thepast years, coconut price dropped but local farmers keep investing intheir coconut farm. The tree is not only a cultural icon, but aneconomic advantage of the province, Hieu said.
Thefestival includes an art installation for a coconut road, coconut foodfestival, coconut plantation tour and a coconut carnival celebrating thefuture of coconuts as well as a seminar on how to increase the value ofcoconut products and a ceremony to honour coconut farmers. A beautycontest, the Miss Coconut Land , will also take place.
High quality products in agriculture, industry, aquaculture, garmentsand textiles, and construction material will be featured at thefestival.
Held by the provincial People's Committeeunder the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, thefestival is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dong Khoi BenTre, or the uprising of local residents against the US-backed Sai Gonregime.
The event also offers businesspeople andinvestors an opportunity to access the economic potential of theprovince for eco-tourism, historical and cultural relics, andparticularly, coconut products.
More than 250 booths display coconut products and demonstrate techniques of coconut breeding, harvesting and processing.
Coconut trees are meaningful to the economic life of residents in BenTre. More than 500,000 people of the province's total population of 1.3million live on work related to the tree.
Ben Tre has the largest area of coconut farms in the country, at 53,000 hectares.
Last year, 420 million coconuts were harvested, contributing half of the country's coconut yield.
The revenue of products related to coconut trees contributes up to 40 percent of the province's export turnover.
Coconut-related products in the province have been exported to 60 countries and territories.-VNA
The opening ceremony for thefive-day festival took place on a floating stage on Truc Giang Lake inBen Tre City, with the participation of more than 5,000 local residents,coconut farmers and representatives from provinces planting coconuttrees in the country.
High officials seen at theceremony were Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and Laos 's Deputy PrimeMinister Somsavat Lengsavad.
The vice presidentencouraged Ben Tre and other provinces to expand the cultivation area ofcoconut trees, invest more factories for coconut processing.
"Coconut trees not only bring economic value, but contribute to theclimate change adaptation, so scientists need to pay more attention onthis purpose from planting the tree," she said, adding that market forthe products from the tree should be expanded.
Thevice president, who expressed happiness to see the development of theprovince, also urged scientists to improve research to arrive at abetter coconut strain, which can help increase the income of farmers.Developing craft villages for tourism development will also create morejobs.
Nguyen Van Hieu, chairman of the province'sPeople's committee, said coconut tree has become an important part ofincome to several households in the province. There have been hundredskind of products made from the trees.
During thepast years, coconut price dropped but local farmers keep investing intheir coconut farm. The tree is not only a cultural icon, but aneconomic advantage of the province, Hieu said.
Thefestival includes an art installation for a coconut road, coconut foodfestival, coconut plantation tour and a coconut carnival celebrating thefuture of coconuts as well as a seminar on how to increase the value ofcoconut products and a ceremony to honour coconut farmers. A beautycontest, the Miss Coconut Land , will also take place.
High quality products in agriculture, industry, aquaculture, garmentsand textiles, and construction material will be featured at thefestival.
Held by the provincial People's Committeeunder the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, thefestival is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dong Khoi BenTre, or the uprising of local residents against the US-backed Sai Gonregime.
The event also offers businesspeople andinvestors an opportunity to access the economic potential of theprovince for eco-tourism, historical and cultural relics, andparticularly, coconut products.
More than 250 booths display coconut products and demonstrate techniques of coconut breeding, harvesting and processing.
Coconut trees are meaningful to the economic life of residents in BenTre. More than 500,000 people of the province's total population of 1.3million live on work related to the tree.
Ben Tre has the largest area of coconut farms in the country, at 53,000 hectares.
Last year, 420 million coconuts were harvested, contributing half of the country's coconut yield.
The revenue of products related to coconut trees contributes up to 40 percent of the province's export turnover.
Coconut-related products in the province have been exported to 60 countries and territories.-VNA
