Get better with the right conversions

Rice-shrimp rotation is suitable for local climate and soil conditions, forming a large-scale specialized rice-shrimp growing area has brought positive economic efficiency, helping many farmers in Khanh Thuan commune, U Minh district change their lives and become quite rich.

Khanh Thuan commune has 2,000 hectares of rice - shrimp, concentrated in hamlets: 1, 4, 9, 11... The conversion from 2-crop rice land to rice - shrimp model has created leverage to help many farmers escape poverty and become rich sustainably.

Farmers in Khanh Thuan commune harvest giant freshwater prawns.

In 2010, when people were producing two rice crops with low productivity, the State had a policy to encourage people to convert production. Mr. Ton Trung Thuyen, Hamlet 9, said: "Previously, on an area of 2 hectares of land, my family cultivated rice twice a year, but the productivity was low, the situation of frequent saltwater intrusion, drought, and acid sulfate contamination made farming very difficult, so the life of my family as well as the people here was very difficult. When the State had a policy, my family made the conversion. Currently, I grow winter-spring rice, combined with raising shrimp and crabs on 2 hectares of land."

At first, due to lack of experience in care, shrimps suffered from diseases such as white spots, fungus, tail rot, black gills... Mr. Thuyen thought, researched, and learned care techniques from people with effective farming experience, thanks to which shrimps and crabs grew and developed well and effectively, helping his family earn 200 million VND per year. Since switching to growing rice in one crop combined with raising shrimps and crabs, Mr. Thuyen's family has had enough to eat and no longer has the difficult situation as before.

The story of Mr. Thuyen's family's change of life is also the process of many farming households in Khanh Thuan commune getting rich. Like Mr. Huynh Van Tam, Hamlet 9, realizing the economic efficiency of the conversion, he maintains growing one rice crop, raising shrimp and crabs. Mr. Tam said that in the freshwater season for the winter-spring rice crop, he chooses giant freshwater prawns to raise in the rice fields, and in the remaining saltwater months, he raises tiger prawns and crabs, for harvest almost all year round. This form of farming helps increase productivity on the same land area; the stubble after harvesting rice helps improve the environment, creating a natural food source for shrimp and crabs, thereby giving high productivity and efficiency. “The recently harvested rice crop combined with giant freshwater prawns has a high yield. With more than 2 hectares, giant freshwater prawns reach 300-400 kg/ha, ST 24 rice yield reaches 4 tons/ha, after deducting expenses, the remaining income is 150 million VND, plus the money from selling giant freshwater prawns and crabs is almost the same amount,” Mr. Tam shared.

Traders buy giant freshwater prawns.

Mr. Tam affirmed: "Over the past 10 years, since switching from monoculture of rice to more suitable crops and livestock for higher economic benefits, income has been 2-3 times more effective than growing rice in two crops, thanks to which family life has improved, and children have the opportunity to go to school."

Mr. Ho Tuong Lai, Vice Chairman of Khanh Thuan Commune People's Committee, said: "The conversion has brought economic efficiency, helping people stabilize their lives and get rich on their own land. Currently, the commune is coordinating with provincial and district departments to produce rice - shrimp according to clean standards, the whole commune has 100 hectares of VietGAP rice - shrimp; 45 hectares of organic rice - shrimp. The commune has called on local businesses to purchase rice - shrimp products in the area, in general, in recent years, the output and prices of rice - shrimp products have been very favorable and stable"./.

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Source: https://baocamau.vn/kha-len-nho-chuyen-doi-phu-hop-a37192.html