Heavy rains have damaged salt fields in Quynh Luu.
The recent heavy rains have caused widespread flooding and severe damage to salt fields in coastal communes of Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province, resulting in losses for salt farmers.
In coastal communes such as An Hoa, Tien Thuy, and Quynh Nghia – considered the "salt granary" of Quynh Luu district – localized flooding has submerged numerous salt fields, destroying the surface and inundating salt storage facilities. The pristine white salt fields typically seen during the dry season are now just patchy, abandoned land.
Mr. Tran Van Tam, a salt farmer in Tan An hamlet, An Hoa commune, shared: “Since the beginning of the season, the weather has been erratic, with alternating rain and sunshine. We not only failed to harvest any salt but also had to spend time and money redoing the salt fields. My family depends on these 4 acres of salt fields for our livelihood, and now we're left with nothing.”
Normally, this time of year is the peak season for salt production, with prolonged periods of intense sunshine, high yields, and stable income for the people. However, according to many salt farmers, this year's salt harvest has been almost a total loss due to continuous rain. Some people liken salt production to "gambling with the weather," as even a single unseasonal rainstorm can ruin the entire crystallization process.
"During this year's salt harvesting season, most fields suffered at least 4-5 heavy rainstorms. After each rainstorm, all the hard work had to be started all over again. Each time, millions of dong in investment were washed away," said a salt farmer in Tien Thuy commune.
Mr. Ho Anh Dung, Chairman of the People's Committee of An Hoa commune, said that the entire commune has about 142 hectares of land for salt production. "Every year, in the middle of the season, the output reaches about 8,000 tons of salt, but this year so far it has only reached over 3,000 tons. That's not to mention the extremely low price of salt, which has been around 1,500 VND/kg for over 10 years," Mr. Dung said.
The local authorities have urged residents to quickly address the damage and repair the damaged structures, while also flexibly shifting to additional jobs such as construction work and labor to improve their income while waiting for the weather to stabilize.
According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Luu district, the entire district has more than 600 hectares of salt production, spread across 9 communes with 12 cooperatives and 1 enterprise. Annual salt production usually reaches 45,000 to 50,000 tons, with many products such as refined salt, iodized salt, multi-mineral reduced-salt salt, etc.
The salt harvesting season begins in March and lasts until July according to the lunar calendar, a period considered ideal for salt production due to abundant sunshine. However, this year's unpredictable weather has severely impacted production and overall productivity. The district has directed salt-producing communes to encourage farmers to proactively repair damage caused by heavy rains that flooded the salt fields.
Salt-making, already a laborious profession, has become even more precarious due to its complete dependence on weather and market conditions. Salt prices haven't increased, and demand is unstable, while people still cling to the traditional craft passed down from their ancestors.
