Abandoning shrimp to raise snails, farmers in the West earn billions in profit

Boldly change direction

Before applying the commercial snail farming model, Mr. Dinh Vu Hai had been involved in shrimp farming for more than 20 years. He said that his hometown is Phu Yen. In 2000, he and his family moved to the coastal area of ​​Soc Trang to rent land to raise shrimp, but failed more than succeeded. In 2007, he went to Bac Lieu to continue renting land to raise high-tech shrimp. After many years of great success, Mr. Hai bought more land, expanding the farming area to 40 hectares.

Mr. Dinh Vu Hai boldly converted shrimp ponds to snail farming.

However, according to Mr. Hai, in recent years, the shrimp farming environment has been heavily polluted, and shrimp have been plagued by diseases for a long time. Meanwhile, the prices of feed, seeds, electricity, workers, veterinary medicine, etc. have all increased. In particular, the price of commercial shrimp is considered to have dropped the most miserably ever, so many high-tech shrimp farmers like him, despite making big profits and achieving high yields, still suffer heavy losses.

Mr. Hai's commercial snail farming model brings high economic efficiency.

In early 2022, Mr. Hai decided to stop raising shrimp, research and learn from the experience of raising commercial snails in many coastal provinces across the country. After accumulating experience, in June 2022, he converted 4 shrimp ponds with a total area of ^{​​6,000m2} to commercial snail farming. Snail breeds were purchased from Ninh Thuan and Nha Trang.

After the first successful crop, Mr. Hai harvested over 20 tons of snails. Traders bought snails priced from 100,000 - 130,000 VND/kg for 250,000 - 300,000 VND/kg; snails priced from 50 - 70 snails/kg cost 420,000 VND/kg. After deducting expenses, with 4 ponds, Mr. Hai earned a profit of over 1 billion VND.

Replicating the model

Realizing that commercial snail farming has many advantages and high profits, in early 2023, Mr. Hai boldly expanded the farming scale to more than 20 ponds. Each pond is ^1,000m2 , stocking 500,000 juveniles, stocking density is 500/ ^m2 .

Commercial snails are guaranteed to be clean, free of antibiotics and chemicals, and trusted by consumers.

After 12 months of farming, Mr. Hai began harvesting by selectively selecting the larger snails to harvest first. With more than 20 ponds for raising snails, Mr. Hai estimated to harvest 70 - 100 tons of commercial snails to sell wholesale and retail to many restaurants, eateries, and wholesale markets nationwide. In addition, many traders buy to export to China.

Mr. Hai shared that the commercial snail farming model has many advantages such as: low care, only feeding once a day, low risk, electricity, very low food costs. While industrial food costs up to 85,000 VND/kg, Mr. Hai buys fish, shrimp, and mixed sea crabs for only 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg. The purchased fish and shrimp are cleaned, ground, and then fed to the snails. Thanks to the use of natural food, the quality of the snail meat is clean, chewy, crispy, fragrant, sweet, free of sand, and rich in nutrients.

The entire high-tech shrimp farming area of ​​Mr. Dinh Vu Hai has been renovated and gradually converted to raising snails.

Mr. Le Viet Xo, Vice Chairman of Bac Lieu City People's Committee, said that Mr. Hai's commercial snail farming model has initially brought about economic efficiency. Snails are a marine specialty with high economic value. The locality recommends that coastal residents replicate this model to diversify the objects and forms of saltwater aquaculture. At the same time, it reduces risks and increases profits compared to the shrimp farming model, which is facing many difficulties as it is now.

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