From cost reduction and model transformation to production linkages, these flexible approaches are helping farmers gradually overcome difficulties and maintain economic efficiency.
Fishermen maintain the rhythm of venturing out to sea.
Rising fuel prices are putting significant pressure on the fishing industry, as fuel costs account for a major proportion of each fishing trip. In this context, instead of scaling back production, many fishermen have proactively adjusted their fishing methods, adapting flexibly to continue fishing and maintain their livelihoods.
Fisherman Nguyen Dinh Thanh (Hoa Hiep ward) said that even though the price of fuel has increased to over 30,000 VND/liter, his family still perseveres in going out to sea because it is their main source of income. His fishing boat has a capacity of 420 horsepower, and previously each trip lasted 15-20 days, consuming about 1,500-2,000 liters of fuel. Now, to optimize costs, he decided to bring about 2,500 liters of fuel, extending the time spent at sea to reduce the number of trips back to shore, while hoping to increase the catch to offset costs.
According to the fishermen, each fishing trip not only ensures a livelihood for 7-10 direct laborers on board but also creates jobs for many workers in the fisheries logistics sector. Therefore, despite facing many difficulties, maintaining fishing operations remains a top priority.
To reduce fuel costs, many boat owners have boldly invested in and applied technology in fishing. For example, they have installed fish finders to determine the location of fish schools, depth, and seabed structure, thereby shortening search time, saving fuel, and improving fishing efficiency. In addition, LED lighting systems are being used to replace traditional lights in light-fishing to reduce energy consumption.
Meanwhile, fisherman Nguyen Van Thang ( Phu Yen ward) chose a more suitable option for his family's production conditions: switching to fishing near the shore to reduce fuel costs. Each trip only consumes about 7-10 liters of fuel. In addition, he focuses on adjusting the boat's speed appropriately and using onboard equipment economically to minimize fuel consumption.
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| Coffee growers are switching to drip irrigation to control water levels and minimize pump operating costs. Photo: P. Hoang |
Farmers earn their living through hard work.
To cope with soaring prices, farmers have also proactively switched irrigation methods to minimize fuel costs.
One of the most effective solutions is switching from diesel-powered generators to three-phase electricity. Mr. Nguyen Huu Chuong (Dlie Ya commune) said that his family has nearly 2 hectares of coffee intercropped with pepper and durian. If they continued irrigating with diesel as before, each irrigation cycle would cost his family about 8 million VND. To reduce input costs from fuel prices, he invested in a three-phase electricity system to his farm. According to estimates, on the same total area of land, using electricity for irrigation costs about 2 million VND per cycle, a significant reduction compared to using diesel.
Besides changing their energy source, Mr. Chuong's family has temporarily stopped using the automatic sprinkler irrigation system and returned to the traditional drip irrigation method (watering directly to the base of the trees). Although this method requires more labor as it involves manually pulling pipes to each tree, it is more efficient in terms of water usage and saves fuel.
According to calculations by coffee farmers, on average, each year coffee plant needs 4 to 5 irrigation cycles to ensure concentrated flowering and fruit setting. With such a high frequency of irrigation, finding solutions to reduce fuel costs is not only an immediate economic challenge but also contributes to increasing income for farmers on the same cultivated area in the long term. When all input costs are escalating, "working for profit" is always chosen by farmers as a temporary solution to maintain family income.
In reality, faced with fluctuating fuel prices, farmers and fishermen are no longer passive but have proactively adjusted the scale, timing, and methods of production. Although these solutions have not completely resolved the difficulties, they have contributed to reducing cost pressure, maintaining fishing operations, stabilizing livelihoods, and continuing production even under conditions of fluctuating fuel prices and many other input costs.
Nhu Thanh - Pham Hoang
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202603/thich-ung-de-duy-tri-sinh-ke-cb37d18/
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