Farmers in Quynh Luu raise wild boars to supply the Tet market.

When mentioning the Quỳnh Thắng area, besides developing citrus fruit, pineapple, sugarcane, and fragrant herb cultivation, there is also a type of livestock that is well-known far and wide: wild boar. Taking advantage of the hilly natural conditions and abundant food sources, in recent years, the people here have invested heavily in developing wild boar farming, contributing to increased income.

We visited the wild boar farm of Mr. Le Van Phuong (born in 1979) in Hamlet 2, Quynh Thang Commune. On an area of ​​1 hectare, he has planned several breeding areas, each with its own separate enclosure surrounded by walls. Depending on the age of the wild boars, Mr. Phuong separates them for easier care.

Sharing about how he got into wild boar farming, Mr. Phuong said that a few years ago he researched wild boar farming because it is a specialty, the meat is delicious and tastes better, and the price is much higher than domestic pigs. When he started to form the idea, he aimed to target customers using his products in restaurants and hotels inside and outside the province.

After researching and learning from farms in Hoa Binh and Tay Ninh provinces, Mr. Phuong returned home to build a farm and imported 27 wild boar piglets from Thailand. In the early days of his business, Mr. Phuong faced many difficulties due to his lack of experience. By learning safe farming practices, he successfully produced high-quality, clean, and delicious wild boar meat. Gradually, his wild boar meat brand became well-known, attracting many customers and making his farming business more successful. Seeing the success of Mr. Phuong's farm and its high economic efficiency, many people in the village and commune came to buy piglets to raise.

According to Mr. Phuong, to ensure the delicious flavor of the meat, a semi-free-range farming method is necessary, with the main feed being elephant grass, corn bran, and brewers' spent grain. Therefore, the wild boar herd here is always popular with consumers. Currently, his farm has over 250 wild boars, of which about 150 are ready for slaughter (weighing from 30 to 60 kg each).

“Although there is still a month until the Lunar New Year, customers from all over have already called to order about 1.5 tons of wild boar meat. In the coming days, we expect the number of orders to increase further. Understanding market demand, this year our family has increased the size of our herd, so we will be able to meet customer needs well during the Lunar New Year and other spring festivals of the Year of the Dragon,” Mr. Phuong said.

Not far away, Mr. Ho Khac Hiep's wild boar farm, with a scale of 100 animals, is also being carefully invested in and cared for to be ready for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year). To ensure the delicious taste of the meat, Mr. Hiep's family raises the wild boars for a full 12 months before selling them. The feed source is entirely natural, such as sugarcane stalks, corn stalks, cassava, sweet potatoes, supplemented with spent brewer's yeast and a small amount of mineral salt.

“Currently, out of a total herd of 100 pigs, 50 have reached a weight of 30-40 kg, ready for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year) at a price of 130,000 VND/kg at the farm. For wild boars that meet the standards for sale during Tet, we are limiting the amount of feed that easily causes fattening to avoid excessive fat accumulation and focusing on lean meat,” Mr. Hiep further shared.

Wild boar farming in Quynh Luu district first developed in Quynh Thang commune, then spread to many other localities such as Quynh Tam, Tan Son, Quynh Chau, Tan Thang, etc. According to statistics from the Quynh Luu district's livestock sector, the total wild boar population in the district is currently over 1,000, of which about 600 weigh between 30 and 50 kg each. Developing a high-quality wild boar herd not only provides a significant source of income for farmers but also enriches the livestock population in the area.

Viet Hung