Many good ways to solve output difficulties for shrimp in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Buying shrimp and materials together to reduce input costs; agreeing to extend farming time to avoid local surplus supply... are methods applied by Nghi Loc farmers (Nghe An) to "cut losses" and minimize difficulties in shrimp output due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.
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| From a white sandy coastal area, many Nghi Tien residents have known how to take advantage of it to raise shrimp on the sand, bringing high economic value. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
Mr. Nguyen Van Hao, a shrimp farmer in Hai Don beach, Bac Thang hamlet, Nghi Tien commune (Nghi Loc) said: "In nearly 10 years in the profession, there has never been a year when shrimp farmers have faced such difficulties as this year.Unfavorable weather, prolonged heat and sudden rains caused shrimp to get sick and die in large numbers. Input prices such as: shrimp seeds, feed, medicine... for shrimp increased. However, when the shrimp were harvested, prices "plummeted", leading to a lack of output. On average, for every 1kg of shrimp, farmers had to compensate for a loss of 30,000 - 50,000 VND.
For the past two years, the Covid-19 epidemic has broken out in many localities in the country,shrimp outputfacing difficulties, prices are low and it is very difficult to sell. There was a time when shrimp farmers had to lose hundreds of millions of dong for each crop.
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| Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, shrimp output is difficult, prices are low, shrimp farmers are suffering losses. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
"Necessity is the mother of invention", in the 2021 shrimp crop, shrimp farmers in Nghi Tien have joined together to discuss and come up with optimal solutions, limiting risks related to the market and prices. Accordingly, shrimp farmers agreed to buy shrimp seeds, feed, and shrimp farming materials from the same dealer to reduce input costs because buying in bulk is always cheaper than buying retail.
Depending on market assessment and discussion with each other to decide the time to sell "at a loss". Specifically, this year's shrimp crop, when contacting the purchasing agents in the North, understanding the difficult situation, difficult consumption, and deep price drop, households discussed with each other to select and sell when the shrimp were not yet of sufficient weight.
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| Shrimp farmers agree with each other to spread out the shrimp stocking time to harvest alternately, avoiding simultaneous harvests that cause local surpluses and make it difficult to sell. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
Normally, 1kg of shrimp will only have about 30-40 pieces/kg at the right weight before being sold, but due to low prices, the longer you raise the more losses you incur, so households will sell when the shrimp only reach 70-80 pieces/kg. "This is a "loss-cutting" selling style, reducing investment costs. At the same time, harvesting gradually in batches will also reduce the pressure of excess supply," said Mr. Phan Doan Cuong.
In addition, farmers agree to spread out the farming time in a rolling manner, overlapping each other to avoid harvesting at the same time, helping to adjust the supply and avoid price pressure. For example, if one household releases shrimp larvae at the beginning of the month, the other will release them at the end of the month, at least 15-20 days apart.
“The purpose is toNghi Tien shrimp"Maintain a stable supply, always available to supply the market but do not leave any local surplus. Because if the output is difficult, traders will force down the price, causing more losses," said Mr. Luu Dinh Viet, a shrimp farmer.
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| In the last shrimp crop, 10 tons of shrimp were basically sold out. Currently, people are cleaning their ponds to prepare for the next crop. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
Although the common problem is the output blockage,shrimp prices downBut like the last shrimp crop, dozens of tons of shrimp from farming households have been consumed. Currently, households are cleaning their ponds, preparing for the next shrimp crop. Determining that the difficulties caused by the epidemic will last for a long time, the next shrimp crop will also be in that context, but shrimp farming households in Nghi Tien are still firmly holding on.
“We have established a cooperative group for shrimp farming on sand with 11 participating households. Accordingly, the households have shared responsibility with the community in regularly exchanging experiences, supporting each other in farming techniques and disease prevention. At the same time, we create conditions to help each other apply science and technology to farming, share market price information, and "symbiosis" together to increase productivity, quality and value of commercial shrimp.”
