Bountiful: Mekong farmers put bags of fertiliser on the top of a coconut-palm tree in Ben Tre Province. — VNS Photo Hoang Vu.

BEN TRE — The plan to host the country's third coconut festival in the Mekong province of Ben Tre this year has been approved by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

The third Ben Tre Coconut Festival 2012 is aimed to help the host province and other coconut-growing localities to popularise their brandnames, promote their products and improve their coconut-processing techniques.

Hai told the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to cooperate with Ben Tre Province to organise the events and activities of the festival economically and effectively.

The festival is scheduled to take place from Aril 4-9.

The coconut-processing industry has significantly contributed to Ben Tre's socio-economic development.

According to figures from the Ben Tre People's Committee, coconut export value account for 25 per cent of Ben Tre's industrial production and 40 per cent of the province's total exports.

Ben Tre's coconut products have been exported to more than 50 countries and territories around the world. — VNS