TraVinh (VNS/VNA) - Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh are entering the mud crab harvest for Tet (Lunar New Year) and earning ahigh profit of 30 - 35 million VND (1,300 - 1,500 USD) per hectare as demand is high for the coming holiday, whichfalls on January 25.

In the province,farmers harvest three mud crab crops a year, including one for Tet, as it takes about four monthsfrom breeding until harvest.  

Farmers in theprovince, which is one of the delta’s largest mud crab producers, breed mudcrabs mostly in the coastal areas of Cau Ngang, Duyen Hai and Chau Thanh districts and Duyen Hai town.

Nguyen Van Hue, who breeds mud crabs in Chau Thanh’s Long Hoa commune, said most mud crab farmersearned high profits last year because of high prices.

Mud crabs arepurchased by traders at prices between 150,000-320,000 VND (6.5-14 USD) a kilo depending on theirgender and size.

The province’s mudcrabs are sold locally and other localities, including HCM City, and areexported.

With stable sellingprices, breeding mud crabs provides farmers sustainable incomes compared toblack tiger shrimp and white-legged shrimp under semi-intensive farming models,according to authorities.

Huynh Quoc Vu, Chairman of Long Hoa commune's People’s Committee, said manyfarmers in the commune had switched from breeding three shrimp crops a year toone shrimp crop and two mud crabs a year, or switched completely to breedingtwo to three mud crab crops a year.

The switch hadoffered high and sustainable incomes for farmers, he said.

Many farmers alsostagger the breeding of mud crabs so they can have harvest year round to avoidan over-supply during the main harvest seasons.

Each year farmersin the province also calculate the time when they begin a new mud crab crop forTết so they can harvest before the holiday to fetch high prices.

The province’sDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development has encouraged farmers incoastal areas to breed mud crabs, including rotation of mud crab and shrimp inthe same ponds, to reduce the risk of losses.

Farmers have alsobeen encouraged to breed mud crabs under advanced extensive farming models inmangrove forests, a method that adapts to climate change and is sustainable.

The province hasmore than 9,000ha of mangrove forests in coastal areas. Of the figure, theprovince has allocated 5,460ha for individual households and organisations toprotect and exploit, including breeding aquatic species in mangrove forests. 

Mud crabs are easyto breed, are resistant to disease, and do not require high breeding costs asthey eat mostly trash fish.

With a coastline of65 kilometres, the province has potential to develop aquaculture, including mudcrab cultivation.

The province has13,000ha of mud crab with an annual output of more than 1,400 tonnes. Of the13,000ha, 35 per cent are intensive farming with a yield of 0.8 – 1.2 tonnesper hectare a year./.