The "bitter salt" season of salt farmers in Bac Lieu.

Salt production in Bac Lieu province has been established and developed for hundreds of years. It is one of the provinces with the highest salt production in the country, mainly concentrated in Hoa Binh and Dong Hai districts.

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Lieu province, in the 2023 season, the total salt production of the province reached over 27,000 tons, of which more than 7,300 tons were white salt produced on tarpaulins, and the rest was traditionally produced salt.

Average yields reached nearly 17 tons/ha (for traditional salt production) and over 37 tons/ha (for salt production using tarpaulins). In 2023, the total number of salt-producing households in the province was 767, employing 1,520 workers.

The process of making salt is arduous and exhausts the labor of salt farmers.

Producing a batch of salt requires many steps. Preparing the land, measuring salinity, and filling the salt fields with water are among the most important steps for a bountiful harvest.

Although many stages in the salt production process have been mechanized to improve the quality and yield of salt, in some areas, salt farmers still cherish traditional manual production techniques.

Scooping water to rinse the salt fields, Mr. Giang Van Ut (residing in Dien Hai commune, Dong Hai district) shared that the local salt-making profession usually lasts from November of the previous year to March (Lunar calendar) of the following year, when the temperature is high.

"This year there's been a lot of sunshine, so salt farmers like us have had a good harvest, but we're not very happy because the price has dropped. Currently, the price of white salt has fallen to 900-1,100 VND/kg, a 30% decrease compared to the previous season," said Mr. Ut.

Although salt-making is extremely hard work, the price of salt sold is dirt cheap.

Several other salt farmers also expressed worry and regret that despite their hard work, they couldn't sell their salt at a good price. "With an area of over 1,000 square meters, my family's salt field yielded over 30 tons. After deducting expenses, we only made a profit of about 20 million dong after many months of hard work in the salt field," one salt farmer confided.

Although salt production in Bac Lieu has existed for hundreds of years, salt farmers in this coastal region have not been able to get rich from this "white gold" mine. The reasons include small-scale farming areas, extremely low prices, and concerns about the market for their products.

At a meeting with businesses in early December 2023, Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, announced that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had allocated 130 billion VND to the locality to invest in infrastructure for salt production development. This contributes to encouraging and supporting salt farmers in preserving their traditional craft.

According to Mr. Pham Van Thieu, the province's plan includes retaining over 1,600 hectares for salt production and developing specific plans to enhance the value of salt and improve the lives of salt farmers.

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