Nghe An farmers reap double profits from golden apple snails.
In recent days, farmers in Nghe An have been making a lot of money by catching golden apple snails to sell to traders, both to supplement their income and to protect their crops.
Every day, Mr. Thien and Mrs. Binh in Hamlet 5, Dien Truong (Dien Chau) earn between 300,000 and 500,000 VND from catching golden apple snails to sell to traders.
Previously, the couple only caught golden apple snails on their family's few acres of rice fields to prevent them from damaging the rice crops. The snails they caught were mostly shelled, and the meat was used to feed the chickens and pigs. On days when they caught a lot, they would dig a hole, sprinkle lime, and bury them.
In recent years, with traders coming to buy their snails, the couple has taken up the additional job of catching golden apple snails. After catching all the snails in their own fields and in the surrounding commune, they go to other communes, even other districts, to catch more. On some days, the couple catches hundreds of kilograms of snails.
“Every rice field is full of golden apple snails. We can catch 20 kg of snails in an hour, and during the hot days, we go out to catch them at night. On average, we catch 150-200 kg of snails a day, selling them to traders for 3,000 VND/kg, which brings in a decent income,” Mrs. Binh said.
In just the first four days of July, farmers in Thuong Son commune (Do Luong district) caught 12 tons of golden apple snails in their local fields. Of that amount, 6 tons were sold to traders at 2,000 VND/kg; the remaining snails were processed by the locals into animal feed.
Mr. Nguyen Tat Hao, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Thuong Son commune (Do Luong district), said: "Golden apple snails are incredibly numerous in rice fields, swamps, and ponds. We've determined that if we don't eradicate them early, it will become a serious problem, damaging crops. As soon as the rice plants turn green, the golden apple snails bite through the stems, forcing us to replant, which is very difficult and costly."
Therefore, the Farmers' Association of the commune organized a campaign to mobilize the entire population to eradicate golden apple snails; they also intensified propaganda through loudspeakers, Zalo, and Facebook, calling on people to catch and dispose of golden apple snails.
At the same time, the Farmers' Association of the commune connected with traders to buy golden apple snails from the people. Catching snails protects the rice crops while also providing additional income, so the people responded very positively.”
In other localities such as Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Hoang Mai town, Yen Thanh, etc., the purchase of golden apple snails has been going on for many years now.
Thanks to traders who buy and sell the snails, people have been actively catching golden apple snails, preventing them from damaging rice crops, encroaching on the habitats of other organisms, and causing ecological imbalance.
“Previously, only a small portion of the golden apple snails caught were used by locals as animal feed, while the rest were dumped on the road to be crushed by vehicles, causing both traffic hazards and environmental pollution. Now, people sell whatever they catch directly to traders, so there is no longer any indiscriminate dumping of golden apple snails,” said Mr. Nguyen Xuan Cap, from Hamlet 7, Thuong Son Commune (Do Luong District).
On average, Ms. Ho Thi Lich in Hamlet 5, Dien Truong Commune (Dien Chau District) purchases 13-15 tons of golden apple snails daily from people in Dien Chau and Quynh Luu districts at a price of 3,000 VND/kg. In addition to those who come directly to her facility, she also hires three other workers to collect snails from various locations and employs laborers to wash the snails, paying them 500,000-700,000 VND per person per day.
After being collected, the snails are put into 50 kg bags, rinsed with water, and then transported by traders to Phu Yen for sale.
"Our facility has been buying golden apple snails for several years now. We buy unlimited quantities year-round. Golden apple snails are purchased by traders in Phu Yen, An Giang, and Ca Mau to be used as feed for lobsters and basa fish, processed into animal feed, and used as food," Ms. Lich said.
Easy to catch, fetches a good price, and provides a decent income, catching golden apple snails has become a supplementary occupation for many farmers.
Collecting and selling golden apple snails to traders is a win-win situation, as it protects crops and provides farmers with additional income. However, we have also disseminated information and advised people against raising them in any form, because in agricultural production, golden apple snails are omnivorous and harmful to rice plants.
Mr. Phan Duy Hai - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection