• Developing raw material areas for the "Thoi Binh Snakehead Fish Sauce" brand.
  • Fermented snakehead fish paste with steamed pork
  • When OCOP products become "cultural ambassadors"
  • OCOP helps agricultural products reach a wider market.

In Hamlet 4, Nguyen Phich Commune, Ms. Tran Huyen Dang's snakehead fish sauce production facility is one of the exemplary establishments, with its product achieving OCOP 3-star provincial certification in 2024. This is not only a source of pride for the family but also a testament to the local people's efforts in preserving and developing traditional crafts .

Ms. Dang said that her family has passed down the fish sauce making trade through three generations, with over 50 years of experience. "When I was little, I saw my grandmother making fish sauce. She passed it down to my mother, and then to me. Making fish sauce is hard work, but it's fun because it's a traditional craft of our hometown. I just hope to preserve the craft and develop and promote the product so that people far away can also know about the unique flavor of U Minh's snakehead fish sauce ," Ms. Dang confided.

Ms. Dang shared her secret: to make delicious snakehead fish sauce, the most important thing is to choose fresh, live fish from the rice paddies. The fish are cleaned, drained, and marinated with salt in the right proportion. After fermenting for about a week, roasted rice flour, sugar, garlic, etc., are mixed in. All steps must be done manually, without rushing, so that the fish sauce is fragrant and the fish meat is firm.

Fermented snakehead fish paste from U Minh is being packaged and prepared for shipment for consumption within and outside the province. (Photo: CHI LINH)

Currently, Ms. Dang's facility uses snakehead fish from the U Minh Ha region as its main ingredient, weighing from 100 grams to 1 kg per fish. Each kilogram of fish sauce sells for between 140,000 and 180,000 VND, depending on size. The product sells well both within and outside the province. Each month, the facility supplies over 1 ton of snakehead fish sauce to the market, with sales increasing 2-3 times during Tet (Lunar New Year) compared to normal days.