Shrimp farmers in Nghe An worry about losing the Tet crop

Many ponds and lagoons are damaged, shrimp release schedule is delayed.

Storm No. 5 in late August left serious consequences for Nghe An’s agricultural production, including shrimp farming, which is considered a key economic sector in many coastal localities. Traditional farming areas such as Quynh Anh, An Chau, Truong Vinh, etc. have yet to recover despite entering the peak season of releasing shrimp for the Tet season.

According to the reporter, as of September 20, along the Nghe An coastal line, a series of shrimp ponds are still abandoned. The embankments have been eroded by waves, the roofs of greenhouses have been blown off, and the water fan systems are damaged and lying in disarray. Many shrimp farmers have been forced to temporarily stop production for fear that if the storms continue, the damage will be even more severe.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang, in An Chau commune (former Dien Trung commune) has 2 hectares of shrimp farming, but nearly a month after the storm, he still cannot renovate it. Mr. Thang said: “The lake bank is broken, the greenhouse roof is blown off, and a lot of equipment is damaged. The cost of restoration is huge, while the rainy and stormy season has not ended yet. If we invest in renovation right now and encounter another storm, all our efforts and money will be lost. Therefore, I have to wait a little longer, not daring to take the risk, but if we do so, it will definitely delay the shrimp release schedule for Tet.”

Sharing the same fate, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - a shrimp farmer in Thuan Hoa block, Truong Vinh ward (Hung Hoa commune - the only shrimp farming area in the old Vinh city) is now also in a dire situation. After the storm, floodwaters flooded the lagoon, the embankment collapsed, the tarpaulin was torn, many machines were severely damaged, and until now the "pond is still empty", when 8/8 ponds cannot be stocked again.

Mr. Hai pointed to the broken embankment along the Lam River and sighed: “The recent storm was so big that I couldn’t react in time. All the shrimp were submerged in ice and washed away. Now it will take at least another month to mobilize people to restore. But that’s already past the schedule. This is already the most difficult crop of the year, and now it’s late, I’m really worried about whether I can harvest in time to sell for Tet or not.” According to the report of the People’s Committee of Truong Vinh Ward, the locality suffered 10 hectares of shrimp damage after storm No. 5, mainly in the area of ​​Hung Hoa Commune (old).

Quynh Anh commune is considered the “shrimp capital” of Nghe An with nearly 500 hectares after being merged from the communes of Minh Luong, Quynh Bang, Quynh Doi, Quynh Thanh and Quynh Yen - localities with large shrimp farming areas in Quynh Luu district in the past. However, after storm No. 5, the whole commune recorded more than 200 hectares of damaged ponds and lagoons, resulting in shrimp losses.

Mr. Bui Xuan Truc - Head of the Economic Department of Quynh Anh Commune said: "The water source for shrimp farming after the storm was polluted, mud mixed with soil, shrimp died scatteredly. The commune has issued a document directing people to urgently fix it in time for the Tet crop, but in reality it is very difficult. Natural disasters and epidemics that have lasted for many years have worn down people's resources. In the next crop, the farming area will certainly decrease compared to previous years."

Urgently overcome and ensure safe farming

According to data from the Nghe An Province Civil Defense Command, storm No. 5 at the end of August caused severe damage to many areas, including aquaculture. The area of ​​shrimp farming damaged, dead, flooded ponds... reached 377.6 hectares. In addition, 27 high-tech shrimp farming households had their roofs blown off, many infrastructure systems and machines were severely damaged. These figures clearly reflect the extent of the loss that the shrimp farming industry in Nghe An is suffering.

Up to now, many shrimp ponds in Nghe An have not been able to release shrimp for Tet. If the season is delayed, the risk of crop failure and high shrimp prices at the end of the year is inevitable. In this situation, the Nghe An Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Control has issued a document to the People's Committees of communes and wards, requesting immediate implementation of solutions to minimize damage, ensure safety for people and property, and quickly restore production after natural disasters.

Mr. Le Van Huong - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Control said that after the storm, aquaculture farmers absolutely must not be subjective. The first thing is to carefully check the embankment, drainage system, and sewers, ensure that the pond does not leak or collapse, and rebuild the farming infrastructure as soon as possible. At the same time, it is necessary to spread lime around the pond to disinfect, and at the same time, use appropriate environmental treatment chemicals to adjust the pH and limit the turbidity of the water. This is an important measure to protect water sources, prevent pollution, thereby minimizing the possibility of disease outbreaks after storms.

According to Mr. Huong, the post-disaster period is when shrimp are most vulnerable, so care and management are crucial to farming efficiency. People need to reduce the amount of food by 30-50%, and not use poor quality, moldy or spoiled food, as this will increase the risk of disease. In addition, disease surveillance and water quality testing must be maintained regularly; farmers need to strictly comply with regulations, not use drugs not listed, and at the same time, closely coordinate with specialized agencies to receive guidance and timely support in case of unusual situations.

In practice, shrimp farming in Nghe An has been continuously hit hard by natural disasters, epidemics and market fluctuations for many years. The delay in releasing shrimp for Tet this year not only puts farmers at risk of losing revenue, but also affects the supply-demand balance, pushing product prices up at the end of the year. In that context, in addition to the initiative of farmers, timely support from the government and professional sectors is needed, especially in terms of capital and technical solutions.

Faced with the increasingly unpredictable impacts of climate change, shrimp farming in Nghe An must gradually shift towards more sustainable development, based on disaster-resistant farming infrastructure, strict biosafety procedures and proactive preparation for risky situations.