Nghe An: Duck meat prices remain stable during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Xuan Hoang - Viet Hung June 14, 2021 08:57

(Baonghean.vn) - Duck farms have reduced their duck herds due to rising feed prices. However, on the occasion of the Dragon Boat Festival, duck traders are still meeting customer demand, and the price remains unchanged at 70,000 VND/kg for pre-processed meat.

The poultry slaughtering point in Lien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, is mainly processing duck meat on this Dragon Boat Festival. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to Vietnamese custom, the Dragon Boat Festival (the 5th day of the 5th lunar month) usually includes duck meat in the meal, therefore, the amount of duck consumed on this day is higher than usual. However, according to our research, this year's Dragon Boat Festival saw a significant increase in the amount of duck meat consumed.meat duckIn Nghe An province, the supply is not as abundant as in previous years, but the selling price has not increased.

DistrictYen ThanhAlthough the area has a long tradition of duck farming, the number of ducks has decreased significantly at this time. Ms. Thuy, the owner of a duck farm in Nam Thanh commune, said that due to the continuously rising price of animal feed, while the price of duck meat is not high, she has switched to raising ducks for egg production.

"Raising ducks in open fields would be profitable, but after harvesting, people immediately start planting summer-autumn crops, leaving no space for grazing. Therefore, we are forced to raise them in confinement using expensive industrial feed. As a result, the current price of duck meat at only 38,000 VND/kg is unprofitable. That's why, for this Dragon Boat Festival, our family's duck farm has no ducks for meat to sell, and neither do the surrounding farms; we mainly raise ducks for egg production," Ms. Thuy explained.

On the occasion of the Dragon Boat Festival, the amount of duck meat consumed in the market is higher than usual. Photo: Xuan Hoang

At poultry slaughterhouses, the supply of duck meat remains abundant, meeting customer demand. Quang and Thuy, a couple from Lien Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district) who specialize in slaughtering chickens and ducks, said that the supply of duck meat in Yen Thanh has decreased significantly at this time due to...animal feedWhile the price of duck meat has increased, the selling price of duck meat has not risen, remaining at less than 40,000 VND/kg, so fewer people are raising ducks. Therefore, to have a consistent supply of ducks for customers throughout the day, Mr. Quang Thuy has to buy ducks from traders who transport them from the North by truck.

"Ducks transported from the North are sold here for over 40,000 VND/kg to serve customers, because there aren't many ducks in the area. This Dragon Boat Festival, my wife and I expect to supply hundreds of ducks to customers. However, the selling price will remain at 70,000 VND/kg," Quang shared.

Since early this morning, people in Quynh Luu district have been buying and selling ducks at local markets. Photo: Viet Hung

In Quynh Luu district, there isn't much duck meat available at this time of year.

According to information gathered from duck farmers inQuynh Luu districtRecently, the sharp increase in feed prices has discouraged many households from investing, forcing them to maintain a small number of ducks for breeding purposes. Meanwhile, those with larger farms of 1,000 ducks or more are trying to hold on to their existing supply chains and markets, despite the rising feed prices. Therefore, at this time, the total number of meat ducks in Quynh Luu remains quite high, estimated at nearly 10,000.

Customers come to buy duck meat at poultry slaughterhouses. Photo: Xuan Hoang.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tung, a duck farmer in Quynh Yen commune, said: “With the increase in feed prices, we farmers are facing difficulties. If we stop raising ducks, it will be a failure because we will lose customers, so we accept maintaining the farming. Currently, the selling price of duck meat at 36,000 VND/kg is low. We hope to sell a large quantity during the Dragon Boat Festival to compensate for the care and investment we have made so far.”

To meet the needs of the people, poultry slaughterhouses in localities throughout Nghe An province are always busy serving customers who come to order ducks. Here, the ducks are slaughtered and ready for customers to prepare into their favorite dishes for the Dragon Boat Festival. However, with the complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic, the food market is quite sluggish, including the duck meat market.

Xuan Hoang - Viet Hung