Nghe An farmers raise clams in different seasons, harvest all year round without worrying about price pressure

From early morning, when the tide gradually recedes, people in Rong hamlet (Nghi Thiet commune, Nghi Loc) start harvesting clams in the tidal flats. Although it is not the main season, the atmosphere on the clam flats is quite bustling.

Ms. Le Phuong, a clam farmer in Nghi Thiet, said: “On an area of ​​more than 4 hectares of clam farming, I divided it into many areas for alternating farming seasons. Seeding is done every few months. Therefore, clams are harvested all year round, with the peak season being from May to August.”

At the beginning of the year, there was a lot of unseasonal rain, along with long periods of frost, which caused the clams to die. After that, people had to spend time to fix it and invest in re-raising costs.

During the clam growth period, the weather was quite favorable. This year, there were not as many storms as in previous years, so the clams still had stable productivity. Although it was not the peak tourist season or the hot season, the current price of clams at the beach fluctuated from 12,000-15,000 VND/kg, which was quite easy to sell, so people were very excited.

Currently, Nghi Thiet commune has nearly 17 hectares of tidal flats with 9 households raising clams. Small households have 1 hectare, large households have up to 4-5 hectares. Clam farming does not require investment in feed but the risk is also very high. There are years when clams die en masse due to disease, causing hundreds of millions of dong in damage.

This year, clams yielded quite well, about 6.5-7 tons per hectare, and the selling price was stable, so people had a good income, with a net profit of about 50-60 million VND/ha after 18 months of stocking.

Considered the province's largest "clam barn", Quynh Luu district currently has about 160 hectares of commercial clams, concentrated in the communes of Quynh Tho, Quynh Thuan, Son Hai, and Quynh Long.

Two years ago, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were times when clam farmers could not sell their harvests, so they faced many difficulties. This year, although clam prices have not recovered and are not as high as in the years before the Covid-19 pandemic, clams are easier to sell and prices are quite stable.

"During the peak season (May-August), every day, people here harvest tons of commercial clams to sell to traders. Clams with a size of 70-80 pieces/kg cost 20,000 VND, 2,000 VND higher than last year. Traders buy all the clams as soon as they are harvested. During the winter months, people harvest sporadically. Generally, the price of clams at this time is not high but they are easy to sell. Currently, people are focusing on renovating the farming area to continue releasing clam seeds," said Mr. Ho Van Hai, a clam farmer in Son Hai.

Not only are clam farmers excited when clams are in season and have good prices, but those who work as clam rakers and beach cleaners also have extra income. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai, a clam raker in Quynh Thuan, said: “Wages are calculated based on the product, ranging from 180,000-250,000 VND/day. When clams sell well and sell at a good price, people hire me to work all day. When I rake clams or clean the beach, I have continuous work and a stable income.”

Nghe An clams are purchased by traders and sold to wholesale agents, traditional markets and mostly imported to seafood processing factories in Thanh Hoa, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho... for preliminary processing for export. The clam price has increased slightly and consumption is stable, helping people have more capital to reinvest in the new crop.