Salt prices hit record high, Quynh Luu salt farmers excited to stay in the fields
(Baonghean.vn) - For nearly a month now, thanks to favorable weather, salt farmers in Quynh Luu district have been actively working in the sun to produce high yields. They are even happier when salt prices start to increase, bringing in a good income for the people.
Quynh Luu is a locality with a large salt production area in the whole province with over 600 hectares, concentrated in the communes: An Hoa, Quynh Nghia, Quynh Tho, Quynh Yen, Quynh Thuan... After many years of low salt prices, at this timesalt pricehas started to rise again, even reaching an all-time high.
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| Ms. Ho Thi Hoa, a salt producer in An Hoa commune, happily said that thanks to the high price of salt, her husband and she earn 400,000 VND per day from salt production. Photo: Viet Hung |
While diligently collecting salt under the scorching summer sun, Ms. Ho Thi Hoa in An Hoa commune said: “It has been a long time since the salt produced by the people has had such value as at this time. Before last year, it was only sold for 1,100 - 1,200 VND/kg; at times, the price even dropped to 900 VND/kg. This season, the price of salt has doubled, which means that people's income has also increased. My family produces 150 kg of salt per day, earning more than 300,000 VND. From now until the end of the season, the price of salt is stable, and the family will earn more than 20 million VND.”
Salt prices are high,salt workerQuynh Luu coastal communes are actively pursuing production under the sun. According to salt farmers, the price of salt purchased by traders in the fields is from 2,200 - 2,400 VND/kg (an increase of 1,200 VND/kg compared to last year).
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| Salt farmers in Nghia Phu village (Quynh Nghia commune, Quynh Luu) harvest salt. Photo: Viet Hung |
Mr. Ho Anh Dung - Chairman of the People's Committee of An Hoa Commune (Quynh Luu) said that the whole commune has 145 hectares of salt production area, of which salt workers account for 50% of the total labor force in the commune. Each year, salt farmers produce 19,000 - 20,000 tons of salt for a revenue of tens of billions of VND. Currently, salt prices are increasing, so people's income is also better. On average, each salt worker earns 200,000 VND/day instead of 80,000 - 100,000 VND/day as in previous years. Therefore, the locality is encouraging people to stick to the sun to produce; at the same time, working with traders to ensure stable output and prices for people.
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| Wherever salt is produced, traders come to buy it all, not sluggish like previous years. Photo: Viet Hung |
According to traders, this year the price of salt in Quynh Luu district is higher than in previous years because the salt crop in the southern provinces has been bad, the output has decreased, so the northern market has focused on purchasing all the salt from Quynh Luu salt farmers. Meanwhile, in Nghe An, during the main salt production season, the weather is not very favorable, so productivity and output have decreased, and supply is limited.
Mr. Ngo Quang Vinh, a trader in Quynh Nghia commune (Quynh Luu) said: “Entering this year’s salt season, my family buys 40-50 tons of salt every day. Due to high market demand, all the salt produced during the day is purchased and transported to provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Hai Duong.”
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| Every day, Quynh Luu salt farmers export hundreds of tons of salt to the market. Photo: Viet Hung |
According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quynh Luu district, since the beginning of the year, salt farmers have produced 35,000 tons/plan of 47,000 tons, reaching 74.4%. This is an opportunity to encourage people to apply the technology of making crystallized salt using canvas into production, replacing the current traditional salt making method, thereby improving productivity and product quality.
In addition, localities are also stepping up promotion and inviting businesses inside and outside the province to consume products and invest in factories.refined salt processing, iodized salt and other salt products. Up to now, 4 factories have been established in the district to process refined salt and iodized salt. From processing activities, each year the units have purchased and consumed about 40,000 - 50,000 tons of raw salt.
Mr. Bui Xuan Truc - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quynh Luu district said: In addition to attracting businesses to invest in building infrastructure to purchase and process raw salt, the district continues to encourage and direct 30 establishments to provide salt purchasing services at the fields for local people. Up to now, many cooperatives in the salt production area have stood up to purchase products, this is a condition and motivation to help local people feel secure in production and stick to the traditional salt profession of the locality./.