The sweet aftertaste of the salt

Bac Lieu salt, though salty, has a sweet aftertaste, a fact that has long been established. However, how to truly bring that sweet aftertaste to the salt grain, after a Salt Craft Festival reflecting on the 100-year journey of the salt industry – a lifetime – requires urgent action.

Bac Lieu salt, though salty, has a sweet aftertaste, a fact that has long been established. However, how to truly bring that sweet aftertaste to the salt grain, after a Salt Craft Festival reflecting on the 100-year journey of the salt industry – a lifetime – requires urgent action.

Elevating the value of salt and opening a new chapter for the salt industry will bring about that sweet taste…

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha presents awards to outstanding salt producers nationwide. Photo: HT

Haunted by the profession of "carrying the sun and enduring the rain"

“ It is heartbreaking that after hundreds of years, on today's salt fields, human labor still replaces machinery, and just one rainstorm can wash away the salt farmers' hard work .” “ The Salt Festival is an opportunity to honor the salt farmers who endure the sun and rain to produce the crystallized salt, the pearls of the sea .” “ The salt grain, in the lives of the salt farmers, also embodies the story of their hardships, struggles with the scorching sun and storms, their perseverance, creativity, and unwavering loyalty, as expressed in the poignant lyrics of the traditional Vietnamese folk song “The Dry Sea” by composer Ngo Hong Khanh: “Long Dien salt, salty with unwavering loyalty …”

In his impressive speech at the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Salt Festival - Bac Lieu 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha not only provided guidance and practical solutions for the salt industry, but also conveyed a profound empathy for the hardships faced by salt workers. His compassion for the difficulties of salt production was expressed in many humane and insightful statements!

And those salt farmers, who normally wore only thin, faded, and tattered clothes due to the salt's saltiness, that day, when they stepped onto the grand stage at a truly meaningful event to receive an award, they were dressed in neat attire. But their dark, sun-scorched skin vividly illustrated the poignant lyrics, making people want to cry: " Oh salt, seep into my flesh and skin / My father's body is bitter, toiling under the sun / Salt nourishes the lives of hardworking people / For so many years, he carried a heavy burden so that his children could become good people / When the sky is sad, it brings storms / The salt melts and drifts to the East Sea ." That was the song "Oh Salt" by composer Pham Hong Bien, performed by singer Quoc Dai in the opening art program of the event.

That skin color speaks volumes about the hardships endured, leaving us deeply moved by the plight of those who "bear the sun and rain," preserving centuries-old traditional crafts passed down through generations of hardworking people...

Trust comes from a commitment.

“The festival is both a celebration and a recognition and tribute from the Government, ministries, and localities for their commitment to working alongside the people to find new ways to transform salt into a high-value economic product, a source of pride for Vietnamese people.”

“ At the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Salt Festival - Bac Lieu 2025 today, on behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister, I would like to request the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities, to focus on implementing the following tasks in a coordinated manner. This is also a commitment of the Government, the Prime Minister, and the ministries, sectors, and localities to implement in the coming time…”.

The commitment was mentioned twice by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha…

Sharing in the joy with Bac Lieu, the Deputy Prime Minister further amplified the pride of the salt farmers by acknowledging that this salt-producing region is known as the salt capital of Vietnam! The Deputy Prime Minister also expressed his admiration for Bac Lieu province's efforts in preserving and developing the salt industry, making it not only the largest salt producer in the country but also a place that preserves unique cultural features, affirming the distinct value of this salt-producing region: “All of this shows the aspirations of the people and the local government here. Bac Lieu doesn't just stop at salt production; it combines it with tourism and culture, transforming the salt fields into attractive destinations where visitors can not only see the salt but also understand the story of the people who produce it and the land itself. It can be said that this is a very correct direction to enhance and extend the value chain of Vietnam's salt.”

With aspirations and efforts to preserve it through centuries of ups and downs, the commitment is now emphasized in the development direction of the salt industry, paving the way for Vietnamese salt in general, and Bac Lieu in particular, further strengthening our belief!

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Pham Van Thieu presents certificates of honor to salt farmers who have made significant contributions to the development of the salt industry in the province. Photo: M.D.

In the future, the salt land of Bac Lieu…

Interestingly, while the art of Don Ca Tai Tu (Southern Vietnamese folk music) is present in 21 provinces and cities in Southern Vietnam, Bac Lieu is considered one of the important "cradles" with many talented individuals contributing to the formation, development, and flourishing of this traditional music form. Therefore, Bac Lieu was the first province to organize the first National Don Ca Tai Tu Festival in 2014. Salt production is also present in 20 provinces and cities nationwide, but only Bac Lieu was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2020. It was also the province honored to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to organize the first National Festival honoring the salt industry!

Bac Lieu has always left a special impression on tourists and invited delegates at important events. Many delegates, including businesspeople, tourism consultants, and investment partners, share the same feeling: every time they visit Bac Lieu, they are impressed and moved by the hospitality of the people of Bac Lieu! Therefore, when offering suggestions for Bac Lieu to prosper from salt production, friends and partners wholeheartedly contribute their ideas and suggestions…

A bright future for Vietnam's salt industry is beginning to unfold. And Bac Lieu – our "salt capital" – will be different in the future! This is when the government's directives are implemented immediately: ministries, departments, and the Provincial People's Committee continue to improve quality standards and promote the Bac Lieu salt brand to the international market so that the world knows more about Bac Lieu salt. Salt farmers will begin to get rich as salt products reach further and in larger quantities. If the salt industry has a fund to mitigate risks, salt farmers will no longer feel the bitterness of bitter salt seasons. Furthermore, realizing these suggestions, tailored to Bac Lieu's actual conditions, means that the salt fields will not only be production sites but also cultural and tourism assets. A "One Day as a Salt Farmer" tour, a homestay model for tourists to experience the salt-making process, or even a "Salt Innovation Center," if realized, will prove that salt can do much more to improve the lives of salt farmers, not just be a salty ingredient in their daily meals.

Concluding the Festival, we rekindle faith and hope for salt and the salt-making profession! And importantly, if we don't quickly and effectively implement the tasks set forth, we will continue to be "indebted" to salt, failing those who "bear the sun and rain" to preserve this heritage! No, tomorrow, salt will have a sweet taste, and the lives of salt workers will be different with firm commitments from the Government, relevant ministries and local authorities. Solutions and directions to realize these commitments have already begun...

CAM THUY

Source: https://baocamau.vn/du-vi-ngot-cho-hat-muoi-a42451.html