India exports coconut to more than 140 countries around the world. The major importers of coconut from India are Vietnam, the UAE, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the USA. For 2020-21, the amount of coconut exports to these top 5 countries are valued at Vietnam (US$ 29.6 million), UAE (US$ 16.61 million), Bangladesh (US$ 14.63 million), Malaysia (US$ 11.27 million), and USA (US$ 5.84 million), accounting for 66% of the exports from India. Vietnam is the major importer with a share of 25%, followed by UAE and Bangladesh, making for 14% and 12% of India’s coconut exports, respectively.
In 2016, India started exporting coconut oil to countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, the countries from where it had been imported earlier. In the same year, India commenced exporting desiccated coconut to the USA and Europe in large quantities under the initiative of the government along with the Coconut Development Board (CDB) to assist the coconut farmers in the production, processing, marketing and export of value-added coconut products. The main destinations for coconut oil exports from India are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the US, and Vietnam. During the 2019-20 period, the fastest growth in coconut oil exports was witnessed in countries like Saudi Arabia, the US and Vietnam.