When the net was gently lifted from the water, dozens of finger-sized shrimp jumped around excitedly. Despite the high stocking density, the owner of the model farm, Do Xuan Ngu, proudly stated: “From 2012 until now, my family hasn’t had a single failed shrimp harvest. For the past three years, we’ve switched to an intensive farming model indoors under a roof, so the efficiency is even higher.”
Mr. Do Xuan Ngu's water treatment and sedimentation tank and shrimp farming system are located along the Lach Truong River.
In the middle of the desolate plain, the early April sun was even more scorching and stifling. However, in the covered ponds with water fans and aeration systems, the air and water temperature remained cool. The biggest fear for many shrimp farmers is the freezing or scorching weather that kills the shrimp, but Mr. Ngữ has overcome that disadvantage. That is also the reason why shrimp farming here can be maintained successfully even during the winter.
In Hamlet 3, Bai Trung, Hoa Loc Commune (Hau Loc District), Mr. Ngu's shrimp farming model has become a prime example in the region, covering a total area of 26.7 hectares, divided into 6 large farming zones. During our visit to the production area, the owner introduced many applied scientific advancements and readily shared his experience after half a lifetime dedicated to shrimp farming. Each pond, ranging from hundreds to thousands of square meters, is equipped with a retractable tarpaulin roof system that can be adjusted to control sunlight and temperature.
According to the owner of the model farm, to achieve the success they have today, his family had to go through many lessons, and not a few difficulties and failures. “Since 1991, my family boldly rented, borrowed, bought land, and consolidated it to raise aquatic products. From low-lying, even abandoned rice paddies, we dug them into traditional ponds for raising fish, shrimp, and crabs. Initially, we only had 1-2 ponds, then gradually expanded the scale using annual profits. From extensive farming, we switched to improved extensive farming, and in 2013 I started raising whiteleg shrimp industrially. This was also the most difficult time, because all the money had to be invested in building ponds lined with tarpaulin and modern equipment. Lack of experience became a major challenge, but I still overcame it,” Mr. Ngữ shared.
At 60 years old, Mr. Ngu maintains a daily work routine, so he is still as agile, fit, and healthy as the regular workers here. In recent years, his son, a fisheries engineer from the South, returned home to help him manage and assist with technical matters, so he feels even more secure in developing intensive shrimp farming.
With approximately 45 billion VND invested over the years to complete and modernize the aquaculture infrastructure, the model now has 19 ponds, 17 of which are covered for high-tech whiteleg shrimp farming. In addition, he has allocated 2 hectares to build settling ponds and water treatment facilities to eliminate pathogens before introducing water into the main ponds. To ensure stable production, the model also includes an administration building, warehouse, auxiliary facilities, and a temporary rest area for workers. The internal production road system is also solidly concreted, ensuring that machinery and equipment can access the site to support manual labor.
The success of intensive farming, thanks to the application of scientific advancements, has helped the shrimp products from this model achieve VietGAP certification and meet food safety standards. With each shrimp crop taking 90 to 100 days, in recent years, Mr. Ngu's shrimp farming model has consistently yielded 250 to 300 tons of commercial shrimp. Annual profits reach 10 to 15 billion VND. "Some days, we sell 10 tons – that's normal. Each harvest, specialized trucks from traders in Hanoi, Hai Phong, and provinces like Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh come to pick up the shrimp. The input of shrimp fry and feed is also supplied by reputable domestic businesses under contract, delivered directly to the ponds," said the owner of the model, born in 1964.
In this shrimp farming model, considered the largest and most modern in Hau Loc district, there are currently 26 workers employed on a regular basis with an average income of nearly 10 million VND per person per month. Workers are provided with three meals a day and rest areas right at the production site to closely monitor and control the shrimp. The shrimp farming activities in this area have created a ripple effect, encouraging many other farm owners in the district to invest in industrial shrimp farming.
These days, the coastal road running near the shrimp farming area along the Lach Truong River in Hoa Loc commune has been completed, opening up more favorable opportunities for shrimp farmers to connect with northern provinces for the consumption of farmed shrimp. For this aquaculture model, one of the largest in Hau Loc district, it also facilitates the delivery of feed and shrimp fry directly to the ponds by trucks.
Text and photos: Le Dong
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