Processing freshwater eels - a lucrative profession in Yen Thanh.

(Baonghean.vn) - Long Thanh commune in Yen Thanh district annually purchases and supplies tens of tons of pre-processed eels to markets nationwide. This industry has created jobs and increased income for hundreds of local workers.

Cua Lo beach is outside the suspected toxic contamination zone in Central Vietnam.

Ms. Tran Thi Chuong, owner of an eel purchasing and processing facility in Bac Son hamlet, Long Thanh commune, sorts the eels before proceeding with the processing stages.

For many years, farmers in Long Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, have boldly invested in building facilities for purchasing and processing eels to meet all customer needs.

Ms. Tran Thi Chuong, owner of an eel purchasing and processing facility in Bac Son hamlet, Long Thanh commune, said: "To ensure the quality of eels after processing, they must be alive. The eels are passed through boiling water mixed with salt and finely ground fresh turmeric to remove the slime, ensuring firm flesh without cracking."

Ms. Tran Thi Chuong's family in Bac Son hamlet has been running an eel purchasing and processing business for over 5 years. Ms. Chuong stated that, on average, she purchases and processes 400-500 kg of eels daily, employing 13 permanent workers and about 10 seasonal workers. Processing eels isn't overly complicated, but adhering to proper technical procedures is crucial to ensure the eels maintain their quality and nutritional value.

When bringing eels from the fields to the market, it's crucial to ensure they are alive. During preparation, boil water with salt and finely ground fresh turmeric or pure turmeric powder, then immerse the eels in this mixture to remove the slime, prevent cracking of the flesh, and give them a beautiful yellow color. Afterwards, remove them from the water and use a bamboo knife to cut open the eels, removing the internal organs, bones, and head. Approximately 0.7 kg of eel meat is obtained from 1 kg of eels after this initial preparation.

In Long Thanh, there are 20 eel purchasing and processing facilities, each providing employment for an average of 15-30 workers, with even the smallest establishments employing 5-7 workers, earning an income of 4-6 million VND per month.

The crucial step is separating the bones and meat of the eel.

Previously, customers bought live eels packed in styrofoam boxes for 85-90 thousand VND/kg, but now they mainly buy eels that have already been deboned, priced at 140-150 thousand VND/kg. The number of workers involved in processing is increasing, and they have a stable income.

Ms. Dinh Thi Phuong, a worker in eel processing, shared: "Previously, after the harvest season, women often had to go to the fields to search for crabs and snails, which was hard work. But since the eel processing job came along, the work is not too difficult. Each month, we earn about 4.5 - 6 million VND, and we can buy by-products like eel bones, heads, and tails to use as animal feed."

After going through the steps, the eels will yield finished products with beautiful yellow meat and a fragrant turmeric aroma, making them very appealing.

Currently, Long Thanh commune has approximately 20 large-scale eel purchasing and processing facilities, not including the smaller, household-based processing units. At peak times, these facilities import around 1.5-3 tons of eels daily, then process and sell them to markets within and outside the province, mainly in Vinh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, and a portion to China. During the period from July to October (lunar calendar), the volume of goods consumed is very high. At this time, in addition to the 30-35 permanent employees per facility, they need to hire an additional 10-15 workers to work continuously throughout the day to complete the work and fulfill orders.

Eels are packaged, each weighing 1kg. Depending on customer needs, they can pick them up immediately or they can be stored in the freezer, ensuring that the quantity ordered is delivered as soon as it's available. Currently, eels are mainly imported for restaurants and hotels to cook eel porridge and prepare other dishes for tourists.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Sy, Vice Chairman of the Long Thanh Commune People's Committee, said: "The eel purchasing and processing business has brought great results. Households that have invested in and established purchasing and processing facilities have become noticeably wealthier, with an average net profit of 30-50 million VND per month, and some larger households earning hundreds of millions of VND per year. It creates regular jobs for about 150-200 workers, not including seasonal workers."

Furthermore, by-products such as eel bones, heads, and tails facilitate the development of poultry and waterfowl farming in the locality. Although this is a secondary industry, it has actually provided the main source of income, so the Party Committee and the commune committee have conducted a comprehensive assessment and implemented various policies and mechanisms, such as creating a legal framework, providing suitable locations and land, and contacting the Yen Thanh Electricity Company to allow households to install their own electricity systems for machinery and freezers to facilitate purchasing and processing.

Mr. Tuan

Yen Thanh Radio Station