Nghe An enters commercial clam farming season

(Baonghean) - Taking advantage of the sunny weather, many households in Quynh Luu district have begun going to the farming areas to release clam seeds, and at the same time harvest commercial clam areas for export to foreign markets.

These days, along the tidal flats for clam farming in Son Hai commune, people are bustling down to the flats to treat ponds and prepare for clam farming. According to people's many years of clam farming experience, around March is the most suitable time to farm clams because the weather is dry and cool for clams to grow healthily.

Farmers in Quynh Tho commune (Quynh Luu) release clam seeds in the tidal flat. Photo: VH

Mr. Thai Ba Khang, a clam farmer with the largest area in Quynh Tho commune, is working with workers on the tidal flats to clean the farming area.

With 30 hectares of clam farming area in the tidal flats of Son Hai and Quynh Tho, he hired 20 workers to go down to the beach to pick up rocks, gravel, boxes, and plastic bags from the beach surface; at the same time, he repaired the rotten bamboo poles to spread nets to protect clam seeds from escaping outside. It is expected that on March 20, he will release 50 - 60 tons of clam seeds at a density of 350 per square meter.

“To raise clams, you must master the techniques. Before releasing clam seeds, you need to clean the area. The clam release area must be flat, with sandy soil or muddy sand, regular tides, and choose a high tide area with calm waves and winds; avoid releasing clams during rainy months like September and October,” Mr. Khang shared.

To ensure a successful clam farming season in terms of productivity and economic value, many clam farming households in Quynh Tho, Son Hai, Quynh Thuan communes... are taking advantage of the dry, rain-free weather to release clam seeds. According to the experience of the people, before releasing clams, it is necessary to calculate the tidal water schedule to clean the surface of the beach, at the same time use machines, plow the farming area, combine with lime application at a rate of 10 kg/100m2, then level the beach surface before the tide rises.

Farmers should choose to buy clam seeds at reputable production and business establishments, ensuring quality; it is best to choose clam seeds that have been raised in farming areas with corresponding environmental conditions. Currently, people in Quynh Luu are applying the farming of clams of sizes from 600 - 2,000 pieces/kg with a density of 250 - 350 pieces/m2 and sizes from 400 - 600 pieces/kg with a density of 180 - 250 pieces/m2.

When the commercial clam areas are ready for harvest, people sell them to traders for 10,000 - 15,000 VND/kg. Photo: VH

Mr. Ho Minh Huynh from Thai Binh province came to Quynh Luu to raise clams. He said that when he realized that Quynh Luu had good conditions for developing commercial clam farming on the beach, he and his friends pooled capital to rent more than 20 hectares of tidal flats in Quynh Tho commune for farming. In 2015, he released 30 tons of clam seeds, and more than a year later, he started harvesting. Currently, he is harvesting large clam areas to sell to traders at 2-3 tons/day. After harvesting clam farming areas, he continues to renovate and clean the ponds to release seeds.

“Commercial clams are raised in a rotational manner, with 1 hectare of area divided into separate areas for stocking, so that farmers can harvest products at any time. Currently, we are releasing about 10 tons of clam seeds purchased in Nam Dinh province for harvest early next year,” said Mr. Huynh.

In addition to using clam seeds in Nam Dinh province, households in Quynh Luu have begun using locally produced clam seeds, such as the clam seed production household of Mr. Thai Ba Khang in Son Hai commune. During the clam farming season, Mr. Khang's family sells billions of Ben Tre clam seeds to the market, supplying seeds to the entire North Central region. This clam variety has the advantages of being strong, high quality, and adaptable to the local marine environment.

Transporting commercial clams ashore. Photo: VH

Mr. Bui Xuan Truc - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quynh Luu district said: "To effectively manage, minimize diseases as well as help clams grow well, before releasing them for farming, the district directs localities with clam farming areas to perform well the management work, related to zoning, especially environmental sanitation, to avoid disease outbreaks. It is estimated that in March, the whole district will release more than 50 hectares of clam seed area for rotational farming, for harvest all year round, supplying the market".

Viet Hung