Unlike previous years when salt farmers would be busy harvesting the first salt crop at this time, this year they are only just beginning to prepare their salt fields for the new season. This is due to erratic weather patterns and prolonged cold rain, which have disrupted salt production in Sa Huynh. While busily building embankments and cleaning his salt fields, Mr. Nguyen Van Tot, from Long Thanh 2 residential area, Pho Thanh ward, said that salt production is very hard work and heavily dependent on weather conditions, leading to inconsistent yields and production, resulting in unstable prices. Currently, salt prices are high, with each 50kg bag of salt averaging 80,000 VND. Therefore, he and many other salt farmers are urgently cleaning their fields so that when the weather clears up, they can quickly bring in seawater to produce salt and sell it on the market.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong, residing in Long Thanh 1 residential area, Pho Thanh ward, has been involved in salt production for over 30 years. Ms. Hong stated that salt farmers constantly face the dilemma of having a good harvest but low prices, or high prices but a poor harvest. Currently, salt prices are rising, but most of us salt farmers are unhappy because we don't have enough salt to sell. Salt production is extremely arduous work, and the income is unstable, so mostly only older people remain in the profession.
 |
| Salt farmers in Pho Thanh ward (Duc Pho town) are cleaning and leveling their salt fields in preparation for the production season. |
To improve the quality and productivity of salt, in recent years, many salt farmers in Sa Huynh have actively invested in and applied the method of salt production on tarpaulin-lined floors. However, the infrastructure serving production and processing has not been invested in comprehensively, and storage facilities for preserving and storing salt are not adequate. This causes salt farmers to produce intermittently, leading to a situation where prices are low during the peak season, and when prices rise after the season, the salt farmers do not have enough salt to sell.
To stabilize prices and ensure a market for Sa Huynh salt, the Sa Huynh Salt Production Cooperative 2 is implementing a plan to build a salt storage yard to collect and purchase salt from salt farmers. According to Nguyen Huu Chanh, Director of Sa Huynh Salt Production Cooperative 2, the cooperative has over 200 member households participating in salt production across approximately 42 hectares. In addition to supporting salt farmers in production, the cooperative will also purchase salt, helping to alleviate difficulties, provide assistance, and improve the lives of salt farmers.
According to Nguyen Thi Phuong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Pho Thanh Ward, the ward has more than 500 households engaged in salt production, covering an area of approximately 120 hectares. Although Sa Huynh salt has established a brand in the market, salt farmers still face many difficulties. The reasons include weather conditions and limited market demand. Currently, Sa Huynh salt farmers are participating in a project to preserve the traditional Sa Huynh salt fields in conjunction with community tourism development. Upon completion of the project, it will serve as a foundation for salt farmers to boldly change their production mindset and focus on preserving and developing the traditional salt-making profession.
“To maintain and elevate the Sa Huynh salt industry requires many fundamental and long-term solutions. The local government hopes that relevant agencies will continue to pay attention and soon implement investment and infrastructure improvement in the Sa Huynh salt fields, and provide capital support so that salt farmers can confidently apply scientific and technological advancements in the production and processing of clean salt. At the same time, it is necessary to promote and expand connections with businesses that consume salt, helping Sa Huynh salt reach larger markets and ensuring that salt farmers can confidently remain committed to the profession,” Ms. Phuong suggested.
Text and photos: HAI CHAU
Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/kinh-te/bien-kinh-te-bien/202503/nghe-muoi-sa-huynh-van-con-kho-khan-5db1c2e/
Comment (0)