'Rescuing' 6 tons of eels from farmers in Thanh Chuong that were deeply flooded
(Baonghean.vn) - On September 26 and 27, heavy rain caused Thien Phuong eel farm (Nam Thuong hamlet, Ngoc Son commune, Thanh Chuong) to be deeply submerged in water. More than 6 tons of eels were forced to be relocated, but were "rescued" by local people.
Starting from mid-2022, the family of Ms. Cao Thi Mai Phuong and Mr. Dang Van Thien bid for 5% of the commune's land and borrowed nearly 1 billion VND from the bank to invest in building a commercial eel farm.
After nearly a year of raising, the eels are now ready to be sold, however, due to heavy rain, the farm has been severely flooded. Last night (September 26), Ngoc Son commune mobilized all forces and with the help of neighbors, the family was able to transport nearly 6 tons of eels from the farm in the rice fields to the residents' homes.
Currently, more than 6 tons of eels are being kept in 3 nearby households. Eels must be lined with tarpaulin, have tanks, and be aerated to avoid dying. However, after being flooded, taken out of the tanks, and moved to higher ground, the eels have been shocked by water and heat, making it difficult for them to survive for long. Therefore, if they are not consumed quickly, they will suffer heavy losses.
Ms. Cao Thi Mai Phuong, the owner of the eel farm, said: “If more than 6 tons of eels cannot be sold in time, the loss will be about 700 million VND. Currently, the family has also asked organizations to call on people to rescue and post the sale on social networking sites. However, up to now, according to people's registration, only 200kg of eels have been sold at a price of 100,000 - 120,000 VND/kg. This selling price is not enough to cover the capital, but we will salvage as much as possible,” Ms. Phuong said.
Currently, organizations, people, and Thanh Chuong hometown groups are actively working to find ways to sell eels to their families, limiting damage caused by floods.
“Despite the heavy rain, regardless of the late night, people came to bring eels to escape the flood with their families. Currently, the District Farmers' Association has also directed the Ngoc Son Commune Farmers' Association to join hands to support the family, and at the same time, called on farmer members to consume eels and buy eels to help the family. Many organizations have stepped up to connect with traders and help consume eels; many members have also stepped up to transport and deliver eels to customers for free to help the family. In times of trouble and natural disasters, people share, support, and accompany each other,” said Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khanh - Chairman of the Thanh Chuong District Farmers' Association.