Skilled technicians at Royal Pearl Company are performing pearl implantation into mature oysters.
In late April, the sun blazed down. We embarked on a journey to An Hoa commune, Tam Nong district, to learn about freshwater pearl farming, at the invitation of artisan Ho Thanh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hoang Gia Pearl Company. We set off at 3 a.m., but didn't arrive at the MK freshwater pearl farm of Mr. Ha Van Tam until 8 a.m. Mr. Tam, a retired doctor, is very passionate about swiftlet farming and pearl cultivation. He said: “Five years ago, I experimented with freshwater pearl farming with advice and technical support from skilled experts and technicians. The first batch of pearls has already yielded pearls with silver and gold hues, which are considered to be of very high quality and value.”
Having only been familiar with shrimp and fish, the story of freshwater mussels producing beautiful and valuable pearls fascinated me even more. Looking at the color of the pond water, I remarked, "This pond shows a fairly high density of algae. With such an abundant food source (algae), the mussels will surely grow quickly and become plump." Mr. Tam shared, "Actually, raising mussels for pearls isn't too difficult. You just need to invest in the initial breeding stock and ensure a stable water source. The pearl grafting is handled by the company's skilled technicians. The biggest difficulty lies in the high initial investment cost and the long cultivation time. Just the time from grafting to harvesting the pearls takes at least two years or more."
Artisan Ho Thanh Tuan agreed with my observation, but also offered his own perspective as someone with 25 years of experience in pearl farming: "The water in the pond is a bit stagnant, so there's a lot of algae. The oysters in this pond will be very plump, but they are also very susceptible to disease, and especially, the pearls won't have the beautiful colors you desire." As Artisan Ho Thanh Tuan rightly observed, the oysters pulled from the pond were very large and heavy, and when the shells were split in half, there was a lot of meat. However, the most important thing was that the pearl inside that plump meat wasn't naturally bright and was somewhat dark in color.
Bringing the pearl into the light, artisan Ho Thanh Tuan further explained: "This type of pearl, if used for jewelry, usually doesn't have a high value. Only in places with good water circulation and a reliable food source will the pearls shine, have beautiful colors, and be of high value. Therefore, going forward, for ponds like this, I would suggest to our partners that they only raise oysters for fattening. After implanting the embryo to create pearls, they should be moved to a new breeding area with good water circulation to improve the quality and value of the pearls."
Regarding the farming environment, both Mr. Tam and artisan Ho Thanh Tuan agree that the water source of the Tien River passing through Tam Nong district is very suitable for pearl farming. With a reasonable amount of silt, plus year-round sunshine, there is an abundant natural food source for the oysters to develop and produce pearls with beautiful colors and high value. Mr. Tam is also quite knowledgeable about the value of oysters: "A single pearl can cost from several million to tens of millions of dong, especially black pearls which always fetch very high prices. Not only are the pearls of good quality valuable, but everything from the oyster shells and meat to even the pearls that don't meet the standards for jewelry have considerable value, and especially when combining pearl farming and processing with tourism , the benefits will be greatly enhanced."
Pearl farming is difficult, but finding a market is the decisive factor in the success of the profession. This is also why Mr. Tam proactively contacted and established a partnership with Hoang Gia Pearl Company - a business with 25 years of experience in pearl farming and trading, with a reputable brand and 20 pearl showrooms nationwide. From this, the Hoang Gia Dong Thap Pearl Joint Venture was born, named: "Hoang Gia Dong Thap Pearl Company", aiming to realize the "Freshwater Pearl Farming Project in Dong Thap".
Besides being used in jewelry, pearls are also widely used in the processing of various cosmetic products, most notably in whitening facial masks. This is also a strong product of Hoang Gia Pearl Company in both domestic and international markets, so the demand for pearls is very high. According to Mr. Tam, in addition to business purposes and building the Dong Thap pearl brand, the company also combines pearl farming with the development of ecotourism. With the aim of building this place into a model for the freshwater pearl industry in Vietnam, Hoang Gia Pearl Dong Thap hopes not only to bring sustainable economic value to the community but also to contribute to shaping the freshwater pearl industry in Dong Thap in particular and the Mekong Delta region in general.
Mr. Ho Thanh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hoang Gia Pearl Joint Stock Company ( Ho Chi Minh City), said: “Our first priority is to establish a joint venture, Hoang Gia Dong Thap Pearl, to leverage each other's strengths. Secondly, I want to dedicate my exclusive pearl-related inventions to the joint venture to create a foundation for developing the pearl cultivation, processing, and branding industry in Dong Thap province in particular and the Mekong Delta in general. As a native of the Mekong Delta, contributing to the success of the pearl industry in the region is a great joy for me.”
The Dong Thap Royal Pearl Joint Venture is not just a collaborative project, but a long-term commitment to partnership, opening up a new direction and contributing to maximizing the potential of the water surface area along the Tien River in Dong Thap province in general and the Mekong Delta region in particular. And, this also means that the pearl dream of the people of this lotus-growing land is gradually becoming a reality.
Text and photos: HOANG NHA
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/khat-vong-ngoc-trai-tren-dat-sen-hong-a187416.html
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