The salty and bland nature of the salt-making profession.

(Baonghean.vn) -Quynh Thuan commune (Quynh Luu district) has long been known as the salt-making region of Nghe An province. According to the elders in the area, salt production has existed here for hundreds of years.

In mid-May, when the summer sun is at its most intense, it's also the peak season for salt production. Turning off National Highway 1A at the Cau Giat intersection and following National Highway 48B towards the sea for about 4 kilometers, you'll reach the Quynh Thuan salt-producing area. In the dry, harsh wind, the salty scent of the sea blends with the aromas from the stalls selling fish sauce, shrimp paste, dried fish, and other goods set up along the road to serve the needs of visitors from afar.

National Highway 48B is currently being renovated and expanded to serve the growing needs of the industrial economy. Many households that used to make salt have now switched to service and trading businesses because salt production is too arduous while the economic value is minimal. As a result, the salt fields are gradually becoming deserted, with fewer people carrying loads of white salt back to the warehouses each late afternoon.

A view of the Quỳnh Thuận salt fields (Quỳnh Lưu). Photo: Như Sương

We sought out Ms. Ho Thi Lan, residing in Hamlet 5, because we learned that she has been working in the salt industry for 50 years. She is also one of the "veteran salt farmers" clinging to the salt fields, fearing that the traditional profession will be abandoned in the near future. And then we were drawn into her story...

During the French colonial period, salt farmers in Quynh Thuan waged many struggles demanding rights for the people. Lan's grandfather was one of the pioneers who raised demands during the public denunciation held at Tam Mai communal house. “In the salt-producing region, children as young as 7 or 8 years old are all taken to the salt fields to help their parents with chores. Back then, I was often assigned the task of piling salt into mounds every afternoon. Every day, whenever I saw the salt forming a white layer on the yard, I had to go and gather it up.”

"As I grew older, instead of raking salt, I was gradually trained for other jobs. From raking the soil to dry it, to carrying soil and salt back to the warehouse. That's how I learned and worked, gradually accumulating experience until I mastered the trade," Mrs. Lan excitedly recounted. "Using soil to make salt is a convenient 'shorthand' term. When people use clay in the water filtration process, the important thing is the filter. High-concentration saltwater is separated and collected in a container before being brought to the drying area. Using soil lowers the salt concentration in the water and slows down crystallization."

Ms. Lan talks about the salt-making profession in her hometown. Photo: Nhu Suong

Now, instead of using clay, sand is used. Using sea sand creates small channels that channel seawater into the drying areas, allowing for faster water infiltration and more efficient salt concentration from seawater. The salt in the sand is then filtered and brought to the drying areas. This method allows for the maximum possible area. Therefore, the "golden age" of salt production is believed to have begun with the switch to this new method; it is estimated that annual production reached tens of thousands of tons, the area of ​​the Quỳnh Thuận salt fields expanded significantly, at times reaching 130-140 hectares; and the price of salt also peaked at 2,000-2,500 VND/kg.

However, it is difficult to preserve the traditional craft when the market expands and competition causes salt prices to plummet. Salt, once a source of comfortable living for salt farmers, is now undervalued; a bowl of pho can only buy a hundred kilograms of salt. And in recent years, this sad story of the salt-producing village has not ended. Therefore, many salt farmers have abandoned the profession to switch to jobs with better incomes. The remaining salt-producing households are mostly those outside the working age group (elderly people and children), working on sunny days to earn money to buy vegetables because they cannot find alternative work. Mrs. Ho Thi Lan's family is one such case.

“My family has three children, all of whom work as factory workers. Their income is just enough to cover their own living expenses. At home, it’s just me and my grandchild. Because I can’t find other jobs, I still have to go to the fields to try and earn some extra money to buy rice. For the past ten years, I’ve had diabetes and also suffered from hearing loss, so my strength has decreased significantly. I was seriously ill recently, so I only got to go to the fields to clear the yard and dry the rice today,” said Mrs. Lan.

In Quynh Thuan, many households are in similar circumstances to Mrs. Lan's family. They are all people who cannot find alternative employment. For example, Mrs. Ho Thi An (62 years old, residing in Hamlet 5, Quynh Thuan). Mrs. An has two children; the eldest works far away, and the second has suffered from spinal calcification since the age of 17. She has to struggle alone to care for her children. Recently, her liver disease worsened, so the salt drying yard remains vacant. Then there is Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan (born in 1973), originally from another area, who moved here to live. Because she has no land for farming, Ms. Loan had to buy a salt drying yard. Due to her long time working as a salt carrier, her spine has degenerated, while her child is constantly ill...

Salt workers are sparsely distributed on the salt fields. Photo: Nhu Suong

Salt production in Quynh Thuan has shrunk in area, so today's output is only about one-third of what it was during its heyday. Consequently, the salt-related services have also dwindled, and households specializing in buying salt from salt farmers have had to switch to other professions. Mr. Dao Duc Chuyen, residing in Hamlet 4, is one of them. “Previously, I averaged 700-800 tons of salt per season, but in the 2016 season, I only managed to buy 400 tons. In the current season, the estimated amount I'll buy is only 200 tons. Therefore, to make ends meet, I've switched to the construction materials business...”

According to incomplete statistics, the current salt production area in Quynh Thuan commune has decreased to only about 50% of what it used to be, and in terms of output, it only reaches 40% compared to about 10 years ago. However, the price of salt is constantly falling year after year, making salt farmers feel that their salt is "bland." Currently, it is the peak season, but the price of salt only fluctuates between 1,000 and 1,200 VND/kg. This gives people like Ms. Lan, Ms. An, and the last remaining salt farmers on the salt fields even more reason to abandon this long-standing traditional profession.

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