Dien Chau: Over 100 tons of shrimp harvested in the third crop to supply the Tet holiday.

(Baonghean.vn) - Starting in early October 2016, during the Lunar New Year holiday, shrimp farmers in Dien Chau harvested their third shrimp crop, achieving high economic efficiency.

Mr. Nguyen Cuong's family is one of the households with the largest area for third-crop shrimp farming in Hamlet 6, Dien Trung Commune, Dien Chau District, with nearly 2 hectares divided into 4 ponds. His family started stocking in October and began harvesting and selling during the Tet holiday. Every day, traders from various places come to buy the shrimp.

Due to difficult farming conditions, the annual yield of shrimp in the third crop only reaches 3.5 tons/ha. However, this year the weather is more favorable. The yield of shrimp in the third crop this year is higher, estimated at 5 tons/ha. With 2 hectares of shrimp, Mr. Cuong's family harvested over 10 tons of shrimp.

Harvesting shrimp for the third crop at the family farm of Mr. Nguyen Cuong, Hamlet 6, Dien Trung Commune, Dien Chau District. Photo: Quang An.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Dong's family in Hamlet 6, Dien Trung Commune, another household raising shrimp in the third crop season, said: "This year, my family raised over 1 hectare of shrimp in the third crop season, with an investment of over 400 million VND. The harvest time is after the Lunar New Year, but some households usually sell during Tet because the price is good. Shrimp from the third crop season are in high demand and favored by the market."

Dien Trung is the leading locality in Dien Chau district in boldly raising shrimp for the third crop, with 20 hectares, accounting for 50% of the total area for the third shrimp crop in the district. Of the 86 households that raise shrimp annually, 42 are determined to pursue this crop. Currently, these households have harvested their shrimp to sell during the Tet holiday. The total shrimp production in the commune is estimated at approximately 100 tons, with a value of approximately 15 billion VND.

Shrimp from the third crop have firm flesh, are raised using clean farming practices, and are favored by the market, fetching high prices during Tet (Lunar New Year). Photo: Quang An

Every year, shrimp from the third crop fetches high prices because it's a long-term crop requiring meticulous care and is mainly sold during the Lunar New Year, ranging from 170,000 to 220,000 VND/kg. However, this year, the selling price at the shrimp farms has dropped to only 150,000 VND/kg and is considered unlikely to increase further even as the Lunar New Year approaches.

According to some traders, the supply of shrimp this year is abundant, especially with a sudden increase in shrimp from the South. This year's weather is more favorable than in previous years for raising shrimp for the third crop. Therefore, shrimp farm owners have large quantities of shrimp to supply the market. Traders predict that shrimp prices will increase after the Lunar New Year.

In many places, shrimp are only farmed for two seasons, but in Dien Chau, people intensively cultivate up to three seasons per year. For this year's third shrimp crop, the entire district has stocked 37 hectares with approximately 25 million whiteleg shrimp. The area for the third shrimp crop is mainly concentrated in the communes of Dien Trung, Dien Kim, and Dien Thinh.

Shrimp farmers in Dien Trung are harvesting their third shrimp crop. Photo: Mai Giang

Raising shrimp in the third crop is more challenging due to unfavorable weather conditions, requiring higher technical expertise. Besides stocking at lower densities than the main crop, farmers focus on care, especially regular application of probiotics and nutritional supplements to boost shrimp immunity. Notably, many shrimp farmers are adopting new farming technologies this season, such as constructing underground filtration systems, ensuring clean water and reducing disease outbreaks.

Shrimp are bought directly from the ponds by traders at high prices. Photo: Mai Giang

The Lunar New Year period is the main time for harvesting the third shrimp crop. Accordingly, farmers supply more than 100 tons of shrimp to the market before, during, and after the Lunar New Year. On average, each hectare yields nearly 3 tons. With seafood prices, especially shrimp prices, soaring during Tet to 200,000 - 220,000 VND/kg, up to 40% higher than in normal months, each hectare of the third shrimp crop can yield up to 400 million VND.

Quang An - Mai Giang