In mid-May 2025, we will travel along National Highway 57B from Chau Thanh District to Binh Dai District, then to Tan Xuan Commune (Ba Tri District), then follow Provincial Road 885 back to Ben Tre City (Ben Tre Province). Farmers with coconut land here are having a headache because of black-headed caterpillars.
According to coconut growers in Ben Tre, black-headed caterpillars make shelter under the coconut leaves, making it difficult to spray. They eat the leaf's green carrier, making the leaves thin and dry. The worms are destroying from old leaves to young leaves, even attacking the coconut and the young coconut trees that have just sprung out of the ground for a few strokes and are eaten. Although farmers have applied many preventive measures, they have not been able to completely control this type of pests.
As a growth of nearly 1 hectare of coconut and a local collector, Ms. Chau Thi Kim Dien (Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province) said that the main cause of the rising coconut price is due to the sharp decrease in coconut production due to the effects of prolonged drought and deep -headed black -headed, causing coconut trees to produce little fruit. Coconut export demand also increased significantly. Particularly in the domestic market, the demand for strong coconut drinking water is also one of the factors that caused the price of Siamese coconut in recent years.
Mr. Ta Van Loi in Mo Cay Nam district, Ben Tre province said that before, the coconut garden gave a steady income of about 7 million VND/month, enough for his family of 5 to live stably. However, when black-headed worms eat them, the coconut garden cannot harvest any fruit. Losing his income, his son went to Binh Duong to work for hire, but his job was unstable.
"I am old, my whole life is only spent on coconut trees, now I have to work for hire to make a living," said Mr. Loi, adding that he hopes that Ben Tre province will soon support farmers to restore production.
In order to specify Decree 09/2025/ND-CP regulating policies to support agricultural production to restore production in areas damaged by natural disasters and pesticides, on May 15, 2025, the People's Committee of Ben Tre province submitted a document to the People's Council of Ben Tre province to approve the Resolution regulating the level of agricultural production support to restore production in areas damaged by natural disasters and pesticides in Ben Tre province.
According to this submission, the support level for crops and forestry affected by natural disasters and pesticides is as prescribed in Article 5 of Decree 09/2025 of the Government. As for aquatic products, livestock and salt production damaged by natural disasters, support will be provided according to the provisions of Article 5 of Decree 09/2025 of the Government.
The People's Committee of Ben Tre province submitted to the People's Council of Ben Tre province to approve a Resolution regulating the level of support for agricultural production to restore production in areas damaged by natural disasters and pesticides in Ben Tre province.
Ben Tre is the province with the largest coconut area in the country, about 80,000 hectares and has been increasing continuously in recent years. Fresh coconuts of Ben Tre are famous for their characteristic sweet taste, Ben Tre green soursop products have been granted a certificate of trademark registration and national certificate of geographical indication. Currently, Ben Tre has 133 coconut growing area codes and 14 packaging facilities granted export codes to the Chinese market, with an export output of more than 26.7 million fruits/year.
