A THAI farmer looking for a larger slice of the world’s coconut water trade has made inquiries with Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah if there is land in the state to grow the Nam Hom variety.
Nuanla-Or Dherdkiattikum, a multi-award-winning farmer and agricultural expert specialising in the cultivation of aromatic coconuts, told Uggah that Sarawak is on her list of places to plant her coconut species.
Coconut water, she said, is now a very lucrative business internationally due to the shift in preference among fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious consumers from the traditional sugary drinks towards “functional” natural beverages.
Coconut water also has electrolyte content and hydrating properties like the mass-produced energy drinks, she said.
“This growing popularity and an inclination towards plant-based and naturally sourced products have given a huge boost for coconut drinks,” she told Uggah and his entourage from the Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA) at a briefing on the coconut water industry in Bangkok today.
The shift was very pronounced, Nuanla said, and pointed out that the Nam Hom species last year garnered RM138.6 billion (US$3.82 billion) of the global trade in coconut water and coconut byproducts.
Nuanla said the Nam Hom species are best grown in equatorial areas, thus Sarawak with its vast land is seen as an ideal place to grow the coconut.
“As we do not have enough land in Thailand for its cultivation, we of course (are now) eyeing Sarawak as a potential place,” she said.
Nuanla with her business partner university professor Tuanchai Arunroch started growing the Nam Hom aromatic coconut in 2017 on a 1.6ha farm in Ratchaburi Province.
The farm could only accommodate about 400 trees.
The BDDA group is on a week-long tour of Thailand to study the country’s best agricultural practices. – September 5, 2024.
