Quang Tri: Participatory shrimp farming proves efficient

The summer - autumn shrimp crop this year in Quang Tri is considered the most successful ever, earning farmers hundreds of millions dongs in just three months.

Though many enjoy bumper harvest this year, there were no less shrimp farmers deep in debt.

According to Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, about 70% of the farmers made profits, 10% breaking even and about 20% suffering loss.

It was observed that those working in teams tended to perform better than those acting alone.

Imprompt farmer union

Nearly 10 years ago, when the movement of shrimp in the province has not developed as today, the 15 households in Vinh Lam commune, Vinh Linh started black tiger farming in 5.8 ha of land.

At that time, everyone went at their pace and comfort, building their ponds and drainage systems wherever they saw fit, without any plan. The discharged water may go from one pond to others, spreading diseases throughout the area, making Vinh Lam farmers lose more than win.   

While many local households were struggling, Hoang Kim Bon in Quang Xa hamlet won time and time again.

His concern for the loss- stricken farmers prompted him to conduct a research on all the shrimp ponds in the communes. He then learned that the improperly designed pond and drainage systems were the main causes, aggravated by the farmers’ lack of knowledge.  

Bon decided to come forward and gather all 15 shrimp households in the hamlet into a mutual benefit group. That was in 2002.

The group, stemmed from the urgent needs to improve shrimp production, had their own rules that all members have to comply to. Until now, the rules, strict as they are, remains intact.

“After the shrimp farming group was formed, all the members have coordinated and support one another much better. We jointly treated the water supply and discharge, shared experiences and technical expertise, and made concerted effort to protect the shrimp,” said Bon, the then group leader in charge of farming techniques. 

The spontaneous shrimp farming group in Vinh Lam soon became a good model for other communes. 

Its success has also drawn attention of the local authorities. In 2005, Vinh Lam People’s Committee decided to legalize the group and helps with the guidance. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also worked to replicate the model throughout the province.

Multiple benefits

“All the members in the group would stocked the same shrimp at  the same time and adopt the same method to clean up the ponds,” said Le Ba Tan, Chairman of Hai An aquaculture services and trading cooperative.
They would pool their money to improve the farming facilities and hire technical consultant, added Tan.

Hai An cooperative has 54 members. This year, most of them made profit from shrimp, from VND150-300 million/ha on average. Only 10% suffers insignificant loss.

Members of shrimp farming groups also found many new ways to help each other and protect their shrimp from the diseases.

They quickly informed the others at signs of disease outbreak so that the entire group can help snuff it out through fund raising.

Early this year, the shrimp ponds of 4 households in Vinh Lam commune caught disease. The other members of group immediately donated VND1,200,000 - 1,500,000 per member to help the victims. 

With the fund, the affected households quickly recovered from the loss and continued to perform well. 

Nguyen Van Huan, Head of Aquaculture Division under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said farmers have better chance to learn from good farming models and participate in the technical training courses when they are a part of a recognized group.

They regularly exchange information on weather, crop, price, and disease prevention measures, making joint efforts toward branding and certification.

Local farmers finished harvesting the second shrimp crop of the year in the last few days of September, and getting their ponds ready for the third. Average yields of whiteleg prawn and black tiger were respectively 8-9MT and 4-5MT per ha per crop.

The shrimp stocking area has increased sharply, particularly whiteleg prawn (reaching 600 ha) and black tiger prawn (90 ha)

Bumper harvests were recorded in many communes, including Vinh Lam, Vinh Thanh (Vinh Linh), Trung Hai (Gio Linh), Hai An (Hai Lang), Trieu Van, Trieu Lang (Trieu Phong). The percentage of profit-makers were said to range between 65 - 90%.

There are now dozens of shrimp farming groups and cooperatives. Altogether, they help to create a well-planned and well- organized industry.