Economic development from black apple snail farming model

Realizing the potential and high economic value of commercial black apple snail farming, some farming households in Hoa Tien commune (Hoa Vang district) have boldly renovated ineffective and abandoned agricultural land to implement this model.

The black apple snail farming model in Hoa Tien commune initially brought stable income, contributing to improving the economy of farmer members. IN PHOTO: Mr. Nguyen Tai, a resident of Bac An village, is checking the farmed snails. Photo: V.Â

The pioneer in implementing this model is Mr. Nguyen Tai, Head of the Farmers' Association of Bac An village. From the movement to build a household economic development model launched by the Farmers' Association of Hoa Tien commune, in early 2023, Mr. Tai proposed to deploy a commercial black apple snail farming model in the locality. With an initial area of about ^600m2 , he rented an additional ^1,000m2 of surrounding land to expand the snail farming area.

With the support of the Commune People's Committee and the Commune Farmers' Association, he and many others had the opportunity to visit and learn experiences and techniques from successful models that brought high economic efficiency in Quang Nam province.

According to Mr. Tai, black apple snails are very popular in the market because their meat is fragrant and sweet. This type of aquatic product is easy to raise, has few diseases, is well adapted to pond farming and is suitable for local conditions. In particular, the initial investment cost is not large, does not require much labor, and mainly takes advantage of free time, so farmers can make more profit than other models.

To raise this type of snail, he dug earthen ponds with water treatment systems, planted duckweed, built trellises for growing squash, and let grass grow around the ponds to create an aquatic environment for the snails to grow and lay eggs. It is known that he released about 10,000 snails and took advantage of the food source mainly from leftover vegetables, tubers, and fruits.

“Low investment costs, not time-consuming, high consumption demand... are the advantages of this model. I have sold one batch at a price of 70,000-80,000 VND/kg. If you deduct the loss, the profit is much higher than growing rice. This model is very suitable for the environment and soil of Hoa Tien commune,” Mr. Tai shared.

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Van Trinh and 5 farmers in Hoa Tien commune contributed capital to establish the Black Apple Snail Farming Association in Duong Son village with a total area of about ^5,000m2 . This is an abandoned agricultural land area, unable to produce, overgrown with weeds.

Mr. Trinh said that from his personal capital, he and other members borrowed additional capital from the farmer support fund to implement the model. Realizing that commercial black apple snail farming is not new, but still rare in the market and not popular with farmers in Da Nang, Mr. Trinh searched for information on the internet; at the same time, connected and learned experiences and farming techniques from units and farmers who had succeeded in other places.

Currently, the association is raising 6 ponds of black apple snails, with the food source for raising the snails being utilized and collected by the association members from the source of spoiled vegetables, tubers, and fruits, discarded daily at Hoa Cuong Wholesale Market. Thanks to that, the apple snails grow and develop stably.

“Since the model was implemented, many farmers have come to learn and explore. Although it is new and has encountered initial difficulties, the brothers are determined to make the model a bright spot in the development of local household economy. Hopefully, the model will help increase income and contribute to economic development for the members,” said Mr. Trinh.

According to Mr. Dang Van Quang, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Hoa Tien commune, the commercial black apple snail farming model being implemented by some households has initially brought high economic efficiency.

The locality will continue to deploy and implement solutions to encourage, facilitate and support farmers in economic development and access preferential loans to implement the model.

At the same time, mobilize farmer members to boldly realize ideas for family economic development, effectively utilizing abandoned areas in the area for reproduction.

The initial success not only brings a stable source of income to farmer members, but this is also a new direction, creating motivation to encourage farmers to implement agricultural economic development models, strive to become rich legitimately, contributing to the locality's construction and socio-economic development.

VIET AN

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