Shrimp breeding model boost profits

The model to establish large-scale fields to breed black-tiger shrimp in the Mekong Delta district of Dong Hai has resulted in high profits for farmers.

Early last year, the Dong Hai District Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau in Bac Lieu province set up a large-scale shrimp field on an 83-ha area with the participation of 43 households.

Under the model, farmers are given financial support and farming techniques under the Vietnamese Good Agriculture Practices (VietGap) standards.

Under a new cultivation method, farmers change the water a fewer number of times in shrimp ponds.

Duong Minh Doan, who owns 2.6ha of land on a large-scale shrimp field, said participating farmers had a bumper harvest last year.

Photo for illustration. thuysanvietnam.com.vn

"My family made a profit of 180 million VND (8,600 USD)," he said.

Farmers earned a profit of between 60-80 million VND (2,900 – 3,800 USD) per ha a year.

The breeding period for each black-tiger shrimp crop lasts about three months.

Vo Ngoc Can, who breeds 2.8ha of black-tiger shrimp under the model, said he had consolidated pond banks to prevent water leakage, and improved water quality, including the content of pH and salinity.

"I use probiotic products in shrimp ponds once every 15 days to improve water quality," Can said.

River water is taken into the ponds when there are high tides, he said.

Water in shrimp ponds was released into the river only when it was necessary, with the instruction of agricultural officials, he said.

Nguyen Truong Han, head of the Dong Hai District Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau, said the large-scale shrimp field model had been expanded to four of Dinh Thanh Commune's five hamlets, with a total of 200ha.

Dong Hai district plans to develop large-scale shrimp fields on a total area of 260ha, focusing on Dinh Thanh and Long Dien Tay communes.

"With high profits from the model, farmers have developed large-scale shrimp fields to a total of more than 380ha so far," Han said.

The farmers have joined co-operatives to work on the large-scale farming models, he said.

The new farming model has also helped protect the environment as farmers have reduced the amount of dredging of mud in shrimp ponds, which they had discharged into the environment.