Farmers reap 'double' benefits from raising fish in rice fields

(Baonghean.vn) - After harvesting the summer-autumn rice in 2016, farmers in Anh Son and Thanh Chuong districts have taken advantage of vacant fields to build embankments to raise fish. This model has contributed to increasing income for farmers while protecting the ecological environment in the fields..

Today is a very happy day for Mr. Nguyen Van Tu and many households in Linh Long village, Thanh Linh commune, Thanh Chuong district. After 4 months of raising and releasing fish, the third crop of fish in the Ruong Nguon field has been harvested. This year, thanks to many heavy rains but no floods, the productivity and output are high. With a capital of 7 million to buy fish, today his group has earned over 50 million VND.

The model of raising fish in the third crop in Thanh Linh commune in particular and Thanh Chuong district in general appeared many years ago. Every year, after harvesting the summer-autumn rice crop before the rainy season, people take advantage of the area by blocking the sluices, buying nets to demarcate the area and release fish fry into the fields. This method is quite simple, low investment cost (only buying fry), little care but still gives high economic efficiency.

People in Thanh Linh commune are concentrating on harvesting fish for the third crop.

Mr. Tran Van Chau in village 8, Thanh Hung commune, one of the first people to raise fish in the third crop, said: "Each hectare of rice field releases about 70 - 80 kg of fish fry, mainly carp, silver carp, bighead grass carp, and bighead grass carp. After 3-4 months, harvest begins. Based on the results of the first crop, experience will be drawn to adjust the types of fish, the types that grow faster will be released more in the next crop.

Mr. Chau also said that after deducting all expenses, each hectare gives an average profit of 20 - 25 million VND. During the flood season, it is difficult to find stable work, which is a high source of income for farmers.

Not only having experience in raising fish, Mr. Chau and many households in Thanh Hung, Thanh Linh, Dong Van communes... have also successfully raised fish fry, providing tons of fish fry each season to serve farmers in the commune and district for the third crop of fish. At the beginning of the season, they buy fish fry on credit and only pay back after the harvest is finished. Thanks to that, many fish farmers in neighboring localities also come to the hatcheries in Thanh Chuong district to buy fish fry.

According to incomplete statistics, every year in Thanh Chuong district there are about 700 - 800 hectares of third crop fish. Estimated to reach about 1500 tons of fish.

Not only does it bring high economic efficiency, raising fish for the third crop also helps improve rice fields for the next crop. Fish mainly eat plankton that floats in the flood, eat grass, stubble, and stir up mud to help keep the fields clean and reduce the risk of pests and diseases for rice. Some households also said that with fish-raising fields, the rice grows better when entering the new crop, and the cost of fertilizer and pesticides is also lower.

Not as strong as Thanh Chuong, but currently, the whole Anh Son district has over 50 hectares of fish raised in rice fields, mainly concentrated in the communes of Thach Son, Lang Son, Linh Son. The average annual yield is 1.3 tons/ha. The fish released are popular freshwater fish species such as grass carp, silver carp, and mullet. The release time starts from August and after 4 months, the fish are harvested. Raising fish in rice fields will take advantage of food sources from by-products in the summer-autumn rice fields while protecting the ecological environment in the fields.

Fish raised in rice fields use natural food so the quality is delicious.

In previous years, after harvesting the summer-autumn rice crop, the family of Nguyen Dinh Quynh in village 3, Thach Son commune, on the family's 2 sao of rice fields, they planted crops such as corn and winter sweet potatoes. However, because the fields were flooded, the crop efficiency was not high, so this year, he applied fish farming. Because he used natural food, the quality was delicious and sold at a good price. With an area of ​​1.5 sao, he harvested 60 kg of fish, with a market price of 40,000 - 45,000 VND/kg, giving him an income of nearly 3 million VND.

Mr. Quynh shared: During the 4-month process of raising fish in rice fields, only from the final stage must the fish food source be increased. Therefore, raising fish in rice fields will greatly reduce costs for farmers.

The family of Mr. Luong Ngoc Vinh in Hamlet 3, Linh Son Commune, is one of the farming households that have applied the model of raising fish in rice fields for many years with high economic efficiency. On the family's 6 sao of rice fields, Mr. Vinh mainly raises silver carp and grass carp. After 3-4 months of raising and caring, the fish reach a weight of 6 taels - 1.2 kg/fish, after deducting investment costs, his family has an income of 10 to 15 million VND.

In recent years, the movement of raising fish in rice fields in Anh Son has developed quite strongly, the area and scale are constantly expanding. This is a simple farming model, people only invest in the initial fish fry, reducing feed costs, less care, short farming time but very positive results.

Tran Dinh Ha - Thai Hien