Quynh Luu farmers invest in shrimp farming for the third crop

(Baonghean) - After finishing the second shrimp harvest, many families in Quynh Luu district continue to invest in raising shrimp for the third crop, with the expectation that shrimp prices will increase again.

Currently, shrimp farmers in Quynh Luu district have basically finished harvesting the second shrimp crop of the year. Farmers said that the selling price of the second crop of shrimp is still low, ranging from 100,000 - 120,000 VND/kg (depending on the type); thus, some shrimp farmers are breaking even. However, with the hope that shrimp prices will increase by the end of the year, many households continue to treat their ponds and take the risk of raising shrimp for the third crop.

Mr. Ho Van Tien, a shrimp farmer in hamlet 12, Quynh Thanh, takes care of the third crop of shrimp.

In the shrimp farming area of ​​hamlet 12, Quynh Thanh commune, people only occasionally come in and out of the shrimp pond. Mr. Ho Van Tien, a shrimp farmer in hamlet 12, said: His family has 3 shrimp ponds, with an area of ​​nearly 1 hectare. Like previous years, after each shrimp harvest, the family earns hundreds of millions of dong in profit. However, this year, shrimp prices have dropped sharply, at times the shrimp have pink body disease, white feces, slow growth, leading to a lot of investment. Recently, the family harvested more than 3 tons of shrimp from the second crop, sold for 100,000 VND/kg, after expenses, it is considered to break even.

However, right after harvesting the second crop of shrimp, he invested in treating the pond and bought 300,000 shrimp (white-leg shrimp) to release in a 4,500m2 pond. According to Mr. Tien, the reason for boldly raising shrimp for the third crop is because this winter the weather may be warmer than usual, the shrimp are less susceptible to disease, eat less, so input costs are reduced. Moreover, because there will be few people raising shrimp for the third crop, the price of shrimp usually increases at the end of the year, those who persevere will make a profit.

There is also the shrimp pond of Mr. Ho Sy Nghiem's ​​family, which is also raising shrimp for the third crop. Mr. Nghiem shared that with many years of experience in shrimp farming, he did not hesitate to invest in buying 500,000 shrimp seeds to release in combination with food for 3 consecutive months. He also hopes that the price of shrimp will increase at the end of the year, at which time the harvest will be sold to somewhat salvage after 1 year of shrimp farming in a state of falling prices.

Mr. Ho Xuan Xuyen, Vice Chairman of Quynh Thanh Commune People's Committee, said: The locality has 131 households farming shrimp with a total area of ​​75 hectares of ponds. Recently, people have finished harvesting the second crop of shrimp, which can be considered a draw, because the second crop of shrimp had many diseases and grew slowly, so shrimp farmers had to invest more; the selling price was 20,000 VND/kg lower than last year... However, people are not discouraged, because shrimp farming is considered the highest income profession in this locality for decades. Currently, about 1/4 of the shrimp farming households in the commune continue to invest in shrimp farming for the third crop...

Quynh Luu district has 9/33 communes with shrimp farming, with an area of ​​460 hectares of ponds. The communes with the most are: Quynh Bang with nearly 200 hectares, Quynh Thanh with nearly 80 hectares, Quynh Luong with 60 hectares...

This year, Quynh Luu has about 70% of the pond area invested by people to raise shrimp for the second crop. By the beginning of November, the localities have basically finished harvesting the second crop of shrimp. According to the assessment of the district's Department of Agriculture, this year from July until now there has been little rain, no significant storms or floods, so the second crop of shrimp generally has few diseases, by the end of October, people have basically finished harvesting, the yield is estimated at about 5 - 6 tons/ha.

However, due to the average decrease in shrimp prices this year of 20,000 - 30,000 VND/kg, shrimp farmers have little profit, and even some shrimp ponds infected with diseases will lose money. Currently, shrimp farmers in the communes of Quynh Thanh, An Hoa, Quynh Luong... have released about 20 hectares of shrimp for the third crop, many households are lightly treating their ponds to prepare for releasing shrimp larvae. Thus, Quynh Luu will have about 50 - 60 hectares of ponds for people to raise shrimp for the third crop.

Xuan Hoang