Vietnam Salt Festival

On the evening of March 6, 2025, at Hung Vuong Square, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, organized the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Salt Production Festival.

Creating momentum for the salt industry to "take off".

The Vietnam Salt Festival - Bac Lieu 2025 has the theme "A 100-Year Journey of Salt Making - A Lifetime". The event aims to preserve, honor, and elevate the value of Vietnam's traditional salt-making craft, while affirming Bac Lieu's position as the "salt capital" of the country.

Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, delivered the opening speech at the Vietnam Salt Festival - Bac Lieu 2025. (Photo: Bac Lieu Newspaper)

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, emphasized that this is the first festival in the country dedicated exclusively to the salt-making industry. Salt production in Bac Lieu has a long history, dating back to the early 20th century when people reclaimed land along the coast.

With favorable natural conditions, a sunny climate, strong winds, and sophisticated traditional production techniques, salt farmers in Bac Lieu have created pure white salt crystals with a distinctive flavor. Bac Lieu salt is not only famous throughout the six provinces of Southern Vietnam but is also exported to several neighboring countries.

Salt making is not only a source of income but also a cultural feature, reflecting the identity of the local people. In 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized salt making in Bac Lieu as a "National Intangible Cultural Heritage".

This is an important driving force for preserving and promoting the value of this heritage, while also helping to improve the lives of salt farmers and promote the sustainable development of Vietnam's salt industry.

At the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha highly appreciated the initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province in organizing the Salt Festival. The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that salt is not only an essential product in daily life but also an important cultural heritage, playing a significant role in the economy, food industry, health, and many other fields.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested that ministries and agencies support the development of the salt industry. (Photo: Bac Lieu Newspaper)

Vietnam possesses natural advantages with over 3,200 km of coastline and favorable climatic conditions for developing the salt production and processing industry. Currently, 19 provinces and cities nationwide produce salt, with a total area of ​​approximately 11,400 hectares and an average output of 1 million tons per year. Some localities have built brands and geographical indications for their salt products, helping Vietnamese salt access demanding markets such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

Despite its great potential, Vietnam's salt industry still faces many challenges. Each year, Vietnam still has to import 400,000 to 600,000 tons of salt because domestic supply does not meet demand, especially for high-quality salt used in the food and medical industries.

Meanwhile, the salt industry workforce is largely untrained, while production and processing infrastructure remains outdated. Salt production in Vietnam is primarily small-scale and fragmented, lacking the application of modern technology, resulting in low added value and limited competitiveness. Salt farmers' incomes are also unstable due to the weak linkages between production, processing, and consumption.

In light of this situation, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that ministries and agencies, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and coastal localities, should pay more attention to supporting the development of the salt production industry. Solutions should focus on upgrading infrastructure, applying science and technology to production and processing, training human resources, building sustainable value chains, and expanding consumer markets.

Opportunities for trade and market connections.

Within the framework of the Festival, on the evening of March 6th, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, in coordination with the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, organized the opening ceremony of the Trade Promotion Fair for the Collective Economic Sector and Cooperatives - Bac Lieu 2025.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Huynh Chi Nguyen, Vice Chairman of the Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee, emphasized: “The fair is an opportunity for cooperatives, cooperative unions, and businesses to connect with the collective economic sector nationwide, especially for OCOP products, local specialties, and salt-based processed products. Through the fair, we hope to introduce the unique, open-minded, and hospitable culture of the people of Bac Lieu to tourists and friends inside and outside the province.”

Delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the trade promotion fair. Photo: Trong Nghia

The fair brings together hundreds of booths from cooperatives and businesses, showcasing salt products, OCOP products, salt-based tourism products, and modern salt processing equipment and technology.

Ms. Cao Xuan Thu Van, President of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, also shared: “The fair is one of the activities in response to the Action Month for Cooperatives and the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, and is also an important highlight in the series of events of the Vietnam Salt Festival - Bac Lieu 2025. With the participation of more than 150 cooperatives and 20 businesses from 35 provinces and cities, the fair brings thousands of typical products, showcasing the diversity and richness of the collective economic sector.”

Giant salt mountain at Hung Vuong Square. Photo: Bac Lieu Newspaper

This fair also creates opportunities for cooperatives to participate in the production and consumption value chain. Through trade activities, workshops, and seminars, cooperatives can learn from experience, apply science and technology to production, and expand their business models in a modern and sustainable direction.

In particular, salt-based products such as refined salt, salt combined with experiential tourism, and OCOP products will be showcased at the fair. This is an important direction to help increase the added value of the salt industry, while affirming the position of Vietnamese salt in the domestic and international markets.

Furthermore, the fair promotes local tourism development by combining the introduction of salt products with tours and experiential programs in salt-producing regions. Developing tourism models linked to salt production not only diversifies products but also increases income for salt farmers, creating sustainable development for Vietnam's salt industry. High-quality salt products, produced using clean and sustainable processes, will enhance the brand of Vietnamese salt in the international market, thereby opening up export opportunities in the future.

The Vietnam Salt Festival - Bac Lieu 2025 will take place from March 6th to 8th with many diverse activities, including exhibitions of traditional and industrial salt products, demonstrations of the artisanal salt-making process, tours of traditional salt fields, and a scientific seminar on solutions for sustainable development of the salt industry.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/fesival-nghe-muoi-viet-nam-bac-lieu-2025-hanh-trinh-moi-cho-nghe-muoi-377139.html