Mai Ha commune's green dam fish: mountain products "swim" to the big market

On an early summer afternoon, when the sun was still shining on the limestone mountains surrounding Mai Ha commune (Mai Chau district, former Hoa Binh province), Mr. Kha Van Nhi in Nghe hamlet excitedly boasted: "Sell two green dam fish weighing 7kg, earning nearly 2 million VND". For him, selling fish is not only a source of income, but also the result of a process of persistently raising this precious fish breed in the heart of the mountains.

Special fish from clean water

The green dam fish, also known as the goby fish by locals, is a specialty fish that only appears in deep, clear waters with strong currents. Ms. Ha Thi Lan, a fish fry supplier in Long hamlet, said: “In the past, people only accidentally caught this fish in rivers and streams. Then they brought it home and released it in ponds. Seeing that the fish lived well, grew slowly but had delicious meat, gradually many people followed suit.” Thanks to the underground water flowing from the mountain crevices, the living environment in Mai Ha has become ideal for this “difficult” fish to grow. Although the green dam fish grows slowly and needs to be raised for 2 to 3 years to reach a weight of about 2kg, in return, this is a fish species with high economic value, delicious, fragrant meat and is favored by restaurants as well as picky consumers. Each kilogram of green dam fish can be sold for 200,000 to 300,000 VND, even higher during holidays. This price makes many households persistent in raising fish, because the fish food is completely natural such as cassava leaves, grass, and chopped banana stems, which is not expensive, and the fish meat is clean and of good quality.

Staff of the Center for Application and Innovation - Department of Science and Technology guide people to access information on the protected trademark "Mai Chau green dam fish" issued by the Department of Intellectual Property - Ministry of Science and Technology.

Mr. Kha Van Quang's family in Long hamlet is one of the pioneers in raising green dam fish in Mai Ha. With a pond area of over 1,200m2, he sells tons of commercial fish each year, earning hundreds of millions of dong. In addition to Mr. Quang's family, there are dozens of other households in Mai Ha that also have a stable source of income, contributing to improving their lives.

More notably, after Mai Ha commune was newly established from the merger of Van Mai, Mai Hich, Mai Ha and Chieng Chau communes, the movement of raising green dam fish was further expanded. In particular, in Son Thuy commune (now Tan Mai commune), which also has similar conditions and underground water, raising this specialty fish also brings clear economic efficiency. Especially for ethnic minority households and households in difficult circumstances. However, due to the characteristics of small-scale farming conditions, the output is not large and the output still depends on tourists or familiar restaurants, the consumption of green dam fish still has certain limitations.

The food of the green damselfish is completely natural, such as cassava leaves, grass, and chopped banana stems. It is not expensive, but the fish gives clean, high-quality meat. Thanks to the green damselfish, the life of Ms. Ha Thi Lan's family in Long hamlet has gradually improved.

Building a brand to help blue marlin "swim" far

Concerned about the fact that the local specialty fish has not yet gained a firm foothold in the market, the Party Committee and the government of Mai Ha commune have coordinated with the Center for Application and Innovation (Department of Science and Technology of the province) to build a protection label "Mai Chau green dam fish". According to comrade Tran Tien Dat, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Mai Ha commune, this is a turning point to help affirm the value of local products. We do not only stop at developing the product but also name and clearly identify it, helping the green dam fish have an identification system and be protected by intellectual property. Building a certification label helps the green dam fish have a traceability stamp, making it easy to access modern distribution channels such as supermarkets and high-end restaurants. Not only that, through trade promotion and communication activities, this product has reached consumers outside the province, expanding the consumption market beyond the locality.

Comrade Bui Duc An, Deputy Director of the Center for Application and Innovation, said: In the past, fish farmers did not have a market orientation, and consumption was fragmented, so the value of the products was not high. Now, after being recognized as a brand and having an identification system, output and selling price have both increased sharply. Green dam fish has become competitive and is trusted by customers.

That has brought about clear results after the “fish had a name”. According to Comrade Vi Van Minh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, Chairman of the Farmers’ Association of Mai Ha commune: after the collective trademark certification, the consumption of green dam fish has increased 3 to 4 times compared to before. Despite the high price, from 200,000 VND to 300,000 VND/kg, the number of customers has increased steadily, mainly buyers from other provinces. Not only increasing output, building a brand also promotes more organized production, linking along the value chain, from breeding, farming, processing to consumption. Some households have boldly expanded ponds, invested in clean water systems from mountain streams to ensure environmental quality for fish. Commercial green dam fish farming models are gradually forming a sustainable scale, creating jobs and stable income for people.

Fish weighing 3kg or more are being sold for 250,000 VND to 300,000 VND/kg depending on the time.

Blue dam fish is not simply an agricultural product, but is gradually becoming a representative image of the efforts of the people in the highlands. From a rare fish species in nature, blue dam fish has now become a certified specialty brand, with a clear origin and a large market presence. With the current development momentum, if it continues to receive systematic investment from pond infrastructure, breeding techniques, to communication and consumption connections, the "product" blue dam fish has the potential to become a typical OCOP product, contributing to promoting the local economy and preserving the precious products of Mai Ha land. In the cool water flowing from the rock crevices, schools of blue dam fish are growing day by day, just like the dreams of the people here for a prosperous life.

Manh Hung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/ca-dam-xanh-xa-mai-ha-san-vat-tu-nui-boi-ra-thi-truong-lon-236164.htm