"Living well" by raising turtles

We were amazed and impressed by the large, imposing house, fully equipped with modern amenities. Mr. Luong smiled simply and confided that he and his wife were hardworking and resilient, both fishing near the shore and farming . About 17-18 years ago, wanting to increase their income, after researching turtle farming techniques, Mr. Luong and his wife built a breeding pond and boldly sold 6 taels of gold, ordered from southern provinces, to buy 300 turtle hatchlings.

Mr. Luong continues to breed turtles to proactively develop production. “You can raise young turtles at high densities, but when they reach 0.3-0.4 kg, they must be separated into different tanks, with a density of 4 turtles per square meter. This ensures proper technique and prevents the turtles from fighting. When separating the tanks, male and female turtles must be kept separate. Feed them twice a day (with fish scraps, snails, vegetables, commercial feed, etc.) to ensure healthy growth.”

Because they bred the turtles themselves, Mr. and Mrs. Luong saved on this capital. The turtles are raised to about 0.8kg-1kg before being sold. At a price of 300,000 VND/kg, after deducting all expenses, Mr. and Mrs. Luong earn a profit of around 200,000 VND/kg.

With proper breeding techniques, a reliable source of breeding stock, and a constant market demand, Mr. and Mrs. Luong expanded their production. From a few initial ponds, Mr. Luong invested in building seven ponds. Five ponds are used for raising softshell turtles for meat, stocking 600 turtles per batch. Two ponds are used for breeding softshell turtles, both to supply breeding stock to households in neighboring communes such as Vinh Xuan and Vinh Thai (now Phu Gia commune).

Seeing the high economic efficiency of raising turtles, Mr. Luong's younger brother and older sister also invested in this model 8 years ago. When we arrived, Mr. Phan Ba ​​Tuong (Mr. Luong's younger brother) and his wife were releasing newly hatched turtles (after the incubation process) into the ponds. Mr. Tuong's family has two ponds for raising turtles, each containing several thousand. Besides the income from turtle meat, Mr. Tuong's family earns 100 million VND in profit annually from raising turtle hatchlings. Mr. Tuong said that in addition to supplying hatchlings to neighboring localities, 2-3 years ago, two families in Hamlet 1 (Vinh Thanh) also started raising turtles. Mr. Tuong is their regular supplier of hatchlings. “Currently, I have two ponds for breeding softshell turtles and four ponds for raising turtles for meat. My wife and I are preparing to expand and build two more ponds for raising turtles for meat. Our sister, Ms. Phan Thi Chuong, also has a stable and secure income from raising softshell turtles for meat,” Mr. Tuong recounted.

According to Mr. Luong and Mr. Tuong, the current supply of soft-shelled turtles is still insufficient to meet demand. Therefore, soft-shelled turtle farmers in the area are still "doing well." However, besides soft-shelled turtle farming, the people of Vinh Thanh coastal area still diligently pursue fishing and farming. "But when our health is no longer good, we may no longer be able to go to sea, but we can rest assured knowing we have soft-shelled turtle farming," Mr. Phan Ba ​​Luong proudly said, because from the fruits of his labor, he and his wife have raised six children who have become useful members of their families and society. Mr. Luong's children are doctors, banking officials, and business owners. All of them are now settled and successful in Ho Chi Minh City.

Source: https://baothuathienhue.vn/kinh-te/song-khoe-nho-nuoi-ba-ba-128451.html