Farmers in Yen Thanh district raise tilapia according to VietGAP standards, achieving a yield of 20 tons/ha.

For the past four years, Mr. Tran Quy Cu in Chau Linh hamlet, Duc Thanh commune, has invested in replanning 3.5 hectares of ponds previously used for traditional fish farming to raise monosex tilapia according to VietGAP standards.

According to Mr. Quy, to ensure healthy fish with consistent yield and quality, it is essential to adhere to strict techniques, prevent fish diseases using biological products, and regularly supplement with vitamin C.Regarding water sources, feed, and fish fry, they must meet requirements and ensure sufficient oxygen for the fish during periods of hot weather or changing weather.

If proper fish farming techniques are followed, the survival rate of fingerlings after stocking reaches over 70%; after 5 months of rearing, the weight reaches 0.5 kg/fish. According to his family's calculations, each hectare of water surface yields an average of 20 tons of marketable fish.

The model of monosex tilapia farming according to VietGAP standards in Tan Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district) is invested in according to proper standards, ensuring environmental factors. Photo: Thai Duong

Meanwhile, Mr. Ho Sy Sinh's household in Tan Trung hamlet, Tan Thanh commune, has also invested in raising clean fish according to VietGAP standards for the past 3 years on a water surface area of ​​nearly 2 hectares.

Mr. Sinh assessed: Raising fish with food safety and hygiene standards yields higher productivity and profits, and has a more stable market than traditional fish farming. Last year alone, his family sold nearly 80 tons of clean, high-quality fish with firm, flavorful meat, purchased directly from the pond by traders from various places inside and outside the province at prices ranging from 30,000 to 31,000 VND/kg. He anticipates an even larger income in the upcoming harvest season due to rising food prices.

With the advantage of being a lowland and semi-mountainous district, the entire district has 1,684 hectares of pond and lake surface area, not to mention the system of naturally flowing irrigation canals and ditches, which are favorable for the development of freshwater fish farming, especially in low-lying areas and reservoir regions. In 2017 alone, freshwater fish farming in Yen Thanh yielded a total production of nearly 4,500 tons of various types of fish.

After 5 months of rearing, the monosex tilapia weigh between 0.5 and 0.6 kg each. Photo: Hong Hanh

Based on assessments from the district's Department of Agriculture and the experience of local farmers, developing a tilapia farming model in accordance with VietGAP standards has helped farmers change their mindset towards sustainable development. This farming method results in a high survival rate, fewer diseases, shorter rearing times, and reduced investment and costs. More importantly, it has provided farmers with additional knowledge and experience in aquaculture regeneration and cultivation.

Currently, tilapia are being purchased directly from ponds by traders from various locations inside and outside the province at prices ranging from 30,000 to 31,000 VND/kg. Photo: Thai Duong

To unlock its potential, the district's agricultural sector directs communes to focus on raising awareness among the people, especially those in traditional fish farms, encouraging them to shift towards large-scale, bio-secure livestock farming. This aims to gradually create a linked chain in the production of clean food. In addition to support from specialized departments in science and technology, the district encourages households to form cooperatives, helping each other in production and livestock farming, and finding stable markets for their products.

In reality, intensive farming of monosex tilapia according to VietGAP standards in Yen Thanh not only brings practical economic benefits to the people but also has significant implications for social life in many aspects. A crucial factor is ensuring food safety and hygiene, demonstrating the responsibility of farmers in providing clean food and improving public health. This opens up a new direction for linking production and supply chains of clean, quality-assured products to compete in today's market.