The apple snail (black apple snail) is nothing strange to farmers, but getting rich from this specialty snail is a new profession for many farmers in Mai Son commune (Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province). Apple snail is helping farmers bring in high income, contributing to promoting local economic development.
The pioneer in this movement is Mr. Hoang Van Vuot in Son Bac village, Mai Son commune (Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province).
Snails - easy to raise specialty
With 4 years of experience in raising snails, most of his family's land is now devoted to snails, with 1 acre for commercial snails and snail seeds, and 5 acres for growing water fern, duckweed and some other plants to feed the snails.
Previously, his family grew rice, fish and other crops on the entire area, but since raising apple snails and seeing the effectiveness, Vuot's family has gradually switched almost all of their land to raising snails.
Mr. Hoang Van Vuot, Son Bac village, Mai Son commune (Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province) only sets aside a small part of his land to grow rice to meet his family's food needs.
Sharing with PV Dan Viet, Mr. Vuot said that on average, each year his family earns 150 million VND from selling snails.
Currently, Mr. Vuot not only raises commercial snails, but also supplies snail seeds to people in the area and also finds outlets and purchases products for people.
At this time, Mr. Vuot buys all the snails that people raise, but still cannot meet the demand.
Raising apple snails (black apple snails) is a new profession, helping to bring high income to farmers in Mai Son commune (Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province). Photo: HH
"After a few harvests, I found that raising snails is also economically effective. Raising snails is also suitable for farmers like me. When they saw that I earned a good income from raising snails, some people around came to learn and follow suit, and it was economically effective," Vuot shared.
Mr. Hoang Van Truong (in black shirt) in Son Bac village (Mai Son commune, Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province) has over 1 hectare of rice field, and his family has used most of the area to dig a pond to raise apple snails - a specialty snail nowadays. Photo: HH
Similar to Mr. Vuot, Mr. Hoang Van Truong, also in Son Bac village, has over 1 hectare of rice field and has devoted most of this area to snails.
He also raised fish before, however, raising fish took more effort and the investment was also larger, and the output was more difficult, so when he saw that raising apple snails was effective, he and his wife decided to switch to raising snails.
After only 10 months of raising snails, his snail pond area has now grown to more than 7 sao, and on the remaining 3 sao he grows duckweed and plants to feed them.
In the last crop, Mr. Truong harvested 1.5 tons of commercial snails with an average price of 60,000 VND/kg, and also sold 400 kg of egg seeds.
Mr. Truong's family also has the advantage that his pond has a water source, ensuring warmth in winter, so he also focuses on producing breeding stock to supply the market.
In a short time, the snail farming movement in Mai Son commune has developed strongly. Photo: HH
Snail farming only takes about 95 - 100 days to harvest. Photo: HH
"Currently, people in the area are not proactive in providing snail seeds, so next year I plan to provide seeds right in my locality.
"The local snail breed will be suitable for the water source and climate, so the snails will grow faster and better, so that people can raise them better," said Mr. Truong.
Talking about the income efficiency from snail farming in Mai Son commune, we cannot fail to mention Mr. Au Van Trieu, a teacher and also a hard-working farmer.
The price of snails is 60,000 VND/kg, costs decrease, profits increase
Although he has only been involved with snails for 7 months, the results have been great for Mr. Trieu. In the last crop alone, Mr. Trieu harvested 4.3 tons of snails, bringing in an income of over 200 million VND. Currently, in his pond, there are still over 2 tons of small snails, which he has not sold but has kept frozen and will harvest after the first lunar month.
Realizing the economic efficiency of snails, in a short time, the snail farming movement has developed strongly in Mai Son commune.
Currently, the entire Mai Son commune has over 40 households investing in snail farming. Local people say that snail farming is very easy, and the investment is not significant. For commercial snails, the most important thing is that the pond must be clean; for seed snails, the pond must have mine water to ensure it stays warm in winter and has clean water flowing continuously.
On average, about 22 snails make 1kg. People in Mai Son commune, Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province sell snails for 60,000 VND/kg. Photo: HH
Regarding food for snails, snails eat a wide variety of foods, all types of duckweed, especially duckweed, snails love it. In addition, farmers also feed them with nourishing leaves, ground corn, rice bran and vegetables...
In winter, from November to February of the following year, the snails are incubating, so they almost do not need to be raised or harvested. From around March, when it is warm again, the snails will crawl out of the mud to eat and grow quickly. It takes about 95-100 days to harvest. On average, about 22 snails make 1kg, and farmers earn 60,000 VND.
Talking to Dan Viet reporter, Mr. Ha Hai Huynh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Mai Son commune (Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province) emphasized that it can be said that raising apple snails is an effective method, bringing high income to farmers in Mai Son commune and is being widely replicated by many people in the area, contributing to promoting local economic development.
"In the coming time, the locality will continue to encourage households with favorable natural conditions, along with the diligence and hard work of farmers, along with the current very stable market. We try to encourage people to continue to expand the area as well as the productivity and quality of this snail breed," emphasized the Secretary of the Party Committee of Mai Son commune.
Source: https://danviet.vn/lieu-dao-ao-trong-ruong-lua-nuoi-oc-nhoi-dac-san-day-dac-nong-dan-noi-nay-cua-yen-bai-giau-han-len-20241110224240652.htm
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