'King' of eel in the West: Journey to get rich from 1 hectare of barren land

Raising eels according to VietGAP model

The story begins from the days when Mr. Bay Anh and his family started their business on a barren land of more than 1 hectare, growing only one crop of rice. Life was hard, but the difficulties did not discourage him. In 1999, a friend told him about the eel fish with high economic value. From a farmer who was only familiar with growing rice and raising snakehead fish, Mr. Anh had a bold idea through the advice of his friend.

Mr. Anh is known as the “eel king” because of his passion for the profession and his willingness to share his experience with farmers who want to follow the profession. PHOTO: GIA BACH

While many people were afraid of the unfamiliarity and the risk of failure, Mr. Anh was determined to try. He sold 100 bushels of rice to buy 400 eel fry to try raising, despite his wife's dissuasion and worries. At that time, he was over 40 years old when he began his adventurous steps.

That risk paid off. After 18 months of farming, he drained the pond to harvest the fish and was shocked to hold in his hand 65 million VND - equivalent to more than 20 taels of gold at that time. This was a big turning point, not only for his family, but also for the aquaculture industry in Ca Mau .

The initial results made him boldly accumulate experience and expand the scale. After more than 2 decades, he has increased the area to 6.5 hectares with 42 ponds for raising eels and gobies. Each year, he sells 3 to 5 ponds, earning a profit of 4 - 5 billion VND. "We have to learn and innovate so as not to fall behind," he shared.

Days of tireless labor have made Mr. Bay Anh's name spread throughout the West. His fish farm has become a tourist and educational destination for hundreds of students and many domestic delegations.

Mr. Anh harvests a pond of eels. PHOTO: GIA BACH

What is special about his farming method is the transition from traditional methods to the VietGAP model, ensuring food safety and environmental protection. This step not only helps improve product quality but also meets the strict demands of the market, creating a prestigious brand for Ca Mau eel. "To maintain the brand, we need to think further, do bigger things and know how to protect the environment," Mr. Bay Anh affirmed.

The person who "lights the fire" for the countryside

Not only is Mr. Bay Anh a successful farmer, he is also a loyal neighbor. He has supported people around him, such as Mr. Tran Van Bo, who, thanks to Mr. Bay Anh's help and encouragement, expanded his 6 fish ponds to 12, rising from poverty. "You just keep raising fish, I'm nearby to support you with all my heart," those words are not only encouragement but also the belief he instills in others.

In addition to providing technical and financial support, Mr. Bay Anh also contributed to the development of local infrastructure. He donated land to open roads and sponsored the installation of security cameras to protect the community. With his generosity, he created an atmosphere of solidarity and safety for the people in the area.

With the selling price of grade 1 eel at about 500,000 VND/kg, Mr. Anh (right cover) earns hundreds of millions of VND when harvesting a pond of fish. PHOTO: GIA BACH

Anyone who has the opportunity to visit Mr. Bay Anh's house will be impressed by the picture of Uncle Ho and General Vo Nguyen Giap hanging solemnly near the entrance. He confided that this is the motivation for him and the farmer members to actively carry out the emulation movement of good production and business, and unite to help each other overcome difficulties.

The house is filled with children's laughter. His seven grandchildren are studying at university and graduate school. "Back then, our family was very poor, I couldn't afford to send my children to school properly. Now, with better conditions, I always teach my grandchildren to study hard, live kindly and know how to share. I have seven grandchildren studying at university, graduate school and graduating from university," he said with pride in his eyes.

Mr. Tran Quoc Trang, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Tan Thanh Commune, said: "People here are very fond of eels, this is the main farming model of the locality. Currently, the area for raising eels and snakehead fish in the commune is over 250 hectares, with about 420 farming households. The price of eels and snakehead fish is quite high compared to previous years. People have a high profit rate, raising eels on 1 hectare yields over 1.5 tons, earning over 700 million VND".

In 2024, Mr. Anh was honored as "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer". Looking back on 25 years of working with eels, he said: "Whatever you do, you have to put your heart into it, you have to persevere until the end. Only then will the sweet fruit come". That is why people still call him "eel king" - not only because of his success but also because of his spirit of leading and lighting a fire in the countryside.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vua-ca-chinh-mien-tay-hanh-trinh-lam-giau-tu-1-ha-dat-can-coi-185250502093004399.htm