Well-known for the high proportion of Mangrove forest cover, many Southeast Asian countries, especially Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, have utilized the advantage for the Mangrove charcoal business. So between the 4 countries, where to import Mangrove charcoal and gain the best deal? Read this post to find out!

Mangrove forest – an important resource for the economy and environment

1.1. Mangrove environmental values

Growing along the coastlines, Mangrove forests are not like any other woods! They stand between saltwater and freshwater, nurturing the biodiversity of both sides. Mangrove forests also play an important role in preventing flooding and soil erosion. That’s why there have been many campaigns on Mangrove protection and reforestation. 

1.2. Mangrove economic values

Besides the ecological benefits, Mangrove wood brings about economic value as well. Firstly, it is the natural habitat of many underwater species, becoming an excellent fishery for local citizens. Secondly, the uniqueness and beauty of Mangrove forests make it a wonderful tourist attraction, enhancing the local economy. Last but not least, Mangrove forests provide an abundant source of Mangrove wood, which can be utilized for fuelwood, charcoal, or construction. 

The Mangrove forest cover in Southeast Asia

According to reports in the last decades, the Mangrove forest cover in Southeast Asia accounts for 36% of the global Mangrove forest area. In particular, Indonesia accounts for 19% of the Mangrove world forest area, indicating a strong advantage in both protecting the environment and developing the local economy. 

Along with the highest Mangrove forest area, Southeast Asia also has the highest Mangrove deforestation. Due to the economic value of Mangrove wood, many inhabitants are extracting Mangrove wood illegally, leading to its dramatic decrease over the years.

To cope with the problem, Southeast Asian countries are strictly controlling Mangrove wood extraction. For example, in Indonesia, the government no longer permits extracting Mangrove charcoal, leading to a shortage of the materials to make charcoal. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, enterprises are only allowed to thin out less than 30% of the Mangrove forest area to preserve its development. 

Mangrove charcoal production and export business in Southeast Asian countries

Southeast Asian countries utilize the biggest proportion of Mangrove wood in local fisheries, construction, and charcoal production. With an abundant source of Mangrove charcoal, the charcoal production business has developed strongly in Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. 

3.1. Mangrove charcoal business in Vietnam

In 2022, Vietnam became one of the leading wood charcoal exporters in the world, exporting charcoal that is worth more than 90.4 Million USD. Among various charcoal types, Mangrove charcoal is considered a primary product, widely preferred by many exporters around the world. 

Each month, 30 – 40 thousand tons of Vietnam Mangrove charcoal are exported to countries worldwide, of which 5% belongs to PNP Charcoal. We are proud to become the charcoal suppliers of the global market, reaching even the strictest markets like Korea or Japan. 

Vietnam Mangrove charcoal is widely preferred due to its high quality and reasonable price. The charcoal staff in Southern provinces of Vietnam, like Hau Giang or Binh Phuoc, are experienced in producing charcoal. They understand the materials, time, and temperature needed to make the best charcoal types. Plus, the availability of Mangrove wood makes the charcoal price more affordable to importers worldwide. 

3.2. Mangrove charcoal business in Indonesia

According to The Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Indonesia is the top charcoal exporter worldwide. In 2022, the Indonesian charcoal export business is worth 400 million USD, selling different charcoal types such as Coconut shell charcoal, Acacia wood, Halaban wood, or Mangrove wood,…

 

While Indonesian coconut or Halaban charcoal is widely known, their Mangrove charcoal is not so impressive in terms of quality. Because the Indonesian charcoal staff are not so experienced in making charcoal, their products only reach the basic standards. 

Along with the average quality, their charcoal is known for its cheap price due to the availability of Mangrove wood in Indonesia. However, recently, the Indonesian government no longer allows extracting Mangrove wood, leading to a shortage of materials to make Mangrove charcoal. As a result, many importers have switched to charcoal suppliers in nearby countries, such as Thailand or Vietnam. 

3.3. Mangrove charcoal business in Malaysia

Similarly to Indonesia, Malaysia focuses strongly on compressed charcoal, especially sawdust charcoal. In 2022, Malaysia ranked #19 in the global wood charcoal export rankings, valued at 26.5 million USD. Compared to Vietnam or Indonesia, the charcoal business in Malaysia is not as strongly developed. With 641,886 ha of Mangrove forests, the Malaysian government has enforced the law on protecting the environment. Therefore, Mangrove charcoal has not been strongly produced and exported in this country. 

3.4. Mangrove charcoal business in Thailand

In the global wood charcoal export, Thailand ranked #29, with 12.1 million USD. They also supply various charcoal types, such as Bamboo charcoal, Coconut charcoal, or Mangrove charcoal. Mangrove charcoal from Thailand is considered high-grade, however, its price is also much higher compared to Indonesian or Vietnamese suppliers. 

Where should importers buy Mangrove charcoal?

We hope that our post will help customers easily figure out where they want to import charcoal from. If you want a product that can balance between price and quality, go for Vietnam Mangrove Charcoal! Made from experienced local staff with legal raw material sources, our Mangrove charcoal can meet the standards of any strict market.

One of the leading Mangrove charcoal exporters in Vietnam is PNP Charcoal. With almost 10 years of experience, we have exported our high-grade Mangrove charcoal to Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand,… Along with product quality, we also pay close attention to our raw materials sources. Our mangrove charcoal is certified by FSC, showing that our charcoal is made from legal and reliable sources. 

If you want to experience PNP Mangrove charcoal, contact us right away via this link! We are happy to send you free charcoal samples, no matter where you are!