After months of diligent care, this is the time for farmers to harvest their "Tet fish crop," which largely determines their income for the entire year. As a major supplier of red carp to the Quang Tri market and many other provinces and cities nationwide, Ninh Chau commune has long been known as one of the reputable sources for the quality of red carp…
Rushing to catch red carp in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year).
In Ninh Chau commune, with only a few days left until the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month – the day of bidding farewell to the Kitchen Gods – a bustling atmosphere permeates the countryside. These days, motorbikes and trucks constantly move in and out of the village roads and alleys, the atmosphere of urgent work lasting from early morning until late afternoon. On the fish ponds, people are pumping water, pulling nets, scooping up fish, weighing them, and bagging them with oxygenated water to ensure timely delivery to traders waiting on the banks.
Mr. Nguyen Tam Hoa's family (55 years old), from Bac Ngu village, Ninh Chau commune, is one of the largest red carp farming households in the area, with a total pond area of about 1 hectare. To prepare for this year's Tet (Lunar New Year) season, Mr. Hoa has stocked approximately 30,000 red carp fingerlings. To ensure readiness for sale, the fish are gathered and stored in large nets in the ponds, ready to be pulled up and sold as soon as traders arrive. As Tet approaches, his family has to mobilize additional workers to harvest, package, and deliver the fish to customers in the province, Hue city, and some northern provinces.
While nimbly transferring fish into oxygenated bags, Mr. Hoa shared that this year, the planting season was affected by heavy rains, causing concern among farmers and resulting in significant losses of fish fry. Fortunately, the weather towards the end of the year was favorable, with prolonged warm sunshine, so the fish developed well, were healthy, and had few diseases. Currently, the fish are of uniform size, bright red in color, and meet the standards for sale. His family sold about 1 ton of red carp to the Tet market. The wholesale price at the pond fluctuated around 150,000 VND/kg, averaging 35-40 fish/kg depending on size. After deducting expenses, the profit was about 50-70 million VND, which helped his family have more resources to celebrate Tet and prepare capital for the new season…
According to local residents, after the rainy season, around the 10th lunar month, people begin to renovate ponds and prepare to stock red carp. The fingerlings are mainly imported from northern provinces and cities. Important criteria for selecting fingerlings include healthy fish, fast swimming speed, vibrant colors, and uniform size. During the rearing process, people regularly change the water and monitor the pond environment to ensure the quality of the fish for the Tet (Lunar New Year) market. A special feature of fish farming in Ninh Chau commune is that the ponds are fed by water flowing from a natural sand dune system. The year-round flowing water is connected to the ponds, then diverted, creating a natural flow and ensuring the pond water remains clean. According to local residents, the fish should have a well-proportioned body, a bright red or golden color, stiff fins, shiny scales, and whiskers on both sides. After months of care, from around the 20th day of the 12th lunar month onwards, the fish are ready for sale. These days, the buying and selling activity is continuous from morning till night.
At the fish pond of Ms. Nguyen Thi Nang (63 years old) in Truong An village, with an area of about 1,500m², she raised 1,500 red carp this year. However, due to the impact of the previous floods, the yield was significantly reduced. Ms. Nang said that raising red carp depends heavily on the weather. This year, there were many heavy rains, so the number of fish lost was high. Fortunately, near Tet, the natural conditions were favorable, and the pond environment was good, so the remaining fish developed quite well… Being a farmer, people always face many difficulties, especially price fluctuations and weather. Hopefully, prices will be stable this Tet so that people can have more income after a long year of hard work…
Towards sustainable development
Having been involved in fish farming for many years, Mr. Hoang Van Xe (63 years old), from Truong An village, shared that red carp, used for the Kitchen God and Stove God worship ceremony on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, is not only an economic commodity that helps local people earn extra income for Tet (Lunar New Year) but also carries deep spiritual significance, closely linked to folk beliefs and the ritual of sending the Kitchen God to heaven. For Vietnamese people, each fish released represents deep gratitude and conveys wishes for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful new year. Therefore, for the people, raising red carp each year also means preserving a beautiful traditional cultural aspect of Tet for future generations…
According to the Ninh Chau Commune People's Committee, the commune currently has about 300 households raising fish fry with a total area of over 22 hectares; including 2 large-scale farms. Red carp, specifically for the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, is considered the main crop of the year. The fish are widely consumed both within and outside the province. In recent years, to maintain and develop the fish fry farming industry in general, and red carp farming for the Tet festival in particular, the Ninh Chau commune government has coordinated with relevant agencies to plan concentrated farming areas, support the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge, and create favorable conditions in terms of procedures and production environment so that people can confidently develop the profession. The locality recognizes that developing the red carp farming village is not only an economic matter but also linked to preserving the beauty of traditional culture during the Tet festival.
Mr. Tran Huynh Duc, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Chau Commune Farmers' Association, said that the locality has a key economic sector developing fish farming; the main types of fish include carp, grass carp, catfish, and snakehead fish... Red carp, especially for the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, is considered the main crop of the year. In recent times, the commune has implemented many policies to support new households and large-scale farming, creating conditions for people to borrow capital to develop production. At the same time, training has been organized on the application of science and technology to improve productivity and product quality. In the future, the commune will continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to organize training on disease prevention and control, adapting to weather changes during the breeding process; gradually applying digital technology in farming and product consumption, aiming to build a stable and sustainable red carp brand…
As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, for the people of Ninh Chau commune, the vibrant red carp caught not only bring joy after a year of hard work but also embody the hope for a prosperous and abundant new spring. The shimmering red of these bright red carp on the eve of Tet contains the dedication and diligence of the farmers…
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/lang-nuoi-ca-chep-do-ninh-chau-hoi-ha-donngay-23-thang-chap-20260208171555473.htm
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