Located along the Tra Khuc River with fertile alluvial soil and a favorable climate, Nam Phuoc village (Nghia Giang commune) used to be the cradle of silkworm farming with a history of hundreds of years. Generations of people have been deeply attached to silkworms and cocoons. However, since around 2004, this profession has begun to decline. The farming is completely manual and difficult, the cost is high, but the selling price of silk is low, making people no longer interested. Mulberry fields along the river are gradually being replaced by sugarcane, corn, corn and many other crops.
Many households in Nghia Giang commune ( Quang Ngai ) have restored the traditional silkworm farming profession using new techniques. Photo: LK
The quietness of the profession lasted for nearly two decades until Mr. Ton Long Quy, a native of this land, realized a new opportunity. During his visits to Lam Dong in 2022, he saw that the silkworm farming industry was developing strongly, the silk price was increasing steadily and had a wide open output. The success in other places made him think about the long-standing tradition of his homeland. Not wanting the old profession to disappear, he spent time learning the model, accumulating experience and then returning with the determination to restore the silkworm farming profession.
At the end of 2022, he started raising silkworms on a small scale. At that time, only he and one other household in the village tried. After a year, the obvious economic efficiency attracted the attention of the people in the area. Gradually, more households converted their land area from cassava, corn, and sugarcane to growing mulberry for silkworm raising. To date, 12 households have participated, with a total mulberry growing area of about 3 hectares. The previously barren sugarcane fields have given way to the vast green of mulberry.
“Raising silkworms today is much less difficult than before. Silkworms are raised on cool, clean ground instead of in baskets. Old breeding barns are utilized, significantly reducing initial investment costs. While in the past people had to raise silkworms from eggs, which took a lot of time and care, now they can buy high-quality selected silkworm breeds. Silkworm breeds are healthy, disease-free, increasing the success rate and reducing risks for breeders,” Mr. Quy shared.
With 40 square meters of silkworm farming area, Mr. Quan's family earns about 10 million VND per month. Photo: LK
The current popular farming scale is by seed box. Each seed box has about 35,000 silkworms, which requires an area of about 5 sao of mulberry (500m2 sao) to ensure leaf source. Silkworms grow quickly, from release to harvest cocoons only takes about 15 days. On average, 1 seed box produces about 40kg of cocoons. With the current cocoon price fluctuating between 180,000 - 190,000 VND/kg, after deducting costs, each farming batch earns about 5 - 6 million VND. Two batches can be done a month, helping people have a significant source of income.
Mr. Hoang Ngoc Quan's family (residing in Nam Phuoc village, Nghia Giang commune) is growing 8 sao of mulberry and building a 40m2 area to raise silkworms. He said: "Except for the 11th and 12th lunar months, my family raises silkworms regularly in the remaining months of the year. Every month I collect cocoons twice, if not counting the labor, after deducting expenses, each month I make a profit of about 10 million VND. Previously, with 8 sao of sugarcane, corn or beans, the average profit for the whole year was only about 6 million VND. Raising silkworms is clearly much more effective."
According to Mr. Ton Long Quy, silkworm raising techniques are not too difficult, just pay attention to the last 5 days before the silkworms go into cocoons, because this is the time when you need to take good care, the silkworms eat more. The investment cost for silkworm raising is also very low. 1 box of seeds is only about 750,000 VND, the cost of medicine and lime for sanitation treatment each time is about 100,000 VND. If there is a risk due to the weather, the damage is not too great. The most important thing is to keep the breeding area dry, clean, with stable temperature and not let the silkworms be exposed to direct sunlight. When these factors are ensured, the silkworms grow healthily and produce beautiful cocoons.
Due to high economic efficiency, many households in Nghia Giang commune have switched to growing mulberry to raise silkworms. Photo: LK
Not only the people but also the local government sees the potential for the revival of the traditional profession. Mr. Le Thanh Tra, an agricultural extension officer at the Nghia Giang Commune Public Service Supply Center, said that the silkworm breeding model in Nam Phuoc village is bringing about high efficiency. With 1 hectare of mulberry trees for silkworm breeding, after deducting care and investment costs, people can earn about 200 million VND per year. This is a stable source of income and higher than most other agricultural crops in the region.
According to Mr. Tra, in early 2026, the locality will implement an agricultural extension program to effectively develop this traditional profession. In particular, specialized officials will organize training on silkworm raising techniques, mulberry care, and supplement new mulberry varieties with higher leaf yield and better quality. At the same time, the program also connects output with businesses that purchase stable cocoons.
“The locality’s goal is to help people access new techniques and change familiar practices that are no longer suitable. From there, replicate the model along both banks of the Tra Khuc River, restoring the image of a “silk river” that has been associated with people’s lives for generations,” said Mr. Tra.
Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/khoi-phuc-nghe-nuoi-tam-truyen-thong-ven-song-tra-khuc-d787120.html
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