Realizing that the water bug species in the countryside is gradually disappearing, Ms. Le Thi Tho (Mai Phu commune, Loc Ha, Ha Tinh) has researched and successfully raised this special insect.
Video: Water bug farming model in Mai Phu commune
Sharing about the opportunity to come to the profession of raising water bugs, Ms. Le Thi Tho (born in 1995, Director of HT Production and Investment Company Limited) said: "I was born and raised in the Loc Ha estuary, so I often enjoyed water bugs. Water bugs can be processed into many delicious dishes, but the most valuable and nutritious is still the essential oil. There is no other essential oil or flavor that can be mixed or replaced with water bugs essential oil.
Over time, the living environment has changed a lot, wild water bugs have gradually disappeared in nature. Those who have enjoyed this dish now want to find the taste again, it is not easy. With the advantage of producing fish sauce, I have tossed and turned many sleepless nights, then came to the decision: raising water bugs to produce a type of fish sauce with the unique flavor of the coastal region.
Ms. Le Thi Tho - the person who boldly invested in raising this special insect species.
Thinking is doing, Ms. Le Thi Tho and her husband traveled North and South for many months to visit, learn about models, and research techniques for raising water bugs.
By August 2022, Ms. Tho and her husband started raising this special insect species, but the knowledge they learned was not enough to successfully raise water bugs. Three consecutive failures caused her family to lose a large amount of money. "There was a time when I thought, maybe my hometown is too sunny and windy to raise water bugs...", Ms. Tho shared.
Water bugs are suitable for the climate in Ha Tinh, so they grow very well.
But with great determination, not giving up in the face of failure, Tho and her husband continued to explore and learn to continue raising water bugs. Drawing on experience from previous failures, on the fourth time of raising them, success came to Tho's family.
In early 2023, Ms. Tho started selling the first batch of water bugs and was positively received by consumers; the price was high, beyond expectations, with a nest of water bug eggs selling for 200,000 VND; 1 commercial water bug costs from 40-60,000 VND and 200-250,000 VND/pair of water bug breeds...
It is known that at first, Ms. Tho's family used water bugs to make traditional fish sauce to create a fish sauce with a unique flavor. But then, she switched to mainly selling water bugs for breeding and commercial purposes to people in many different provinces: Nghe An, Hung Yen, Quang Nam...
Ms. Tho's water bug farming model has an area of 400m2 .
According to Ms. Tho, water bugs reproduce quickly in large numbers and lay eggs all year round. They can reproduce 1 to 2 times a month, with a successful hatching rate of nearly 100%.
From hatching to selling commercial water bugs only takes about 40 days, while raising them for reproduction takes about 1 year. Currently, Ms. Tho's facility has an area of 400m2 , with 200 breeding pairs, hundreds of egg nests, thousands of baby water bugs and commercial water bugs.
From August 2022 to August 2023, the total revenue from selling fish sauce, fry and commercial water bugs of the business owned by Ms. Tho is about 1 billion VND; creating jobs for 7 main and seasonal workers with salaries from 3-6 million VND/month.
Raising water bugs can profit from the eggs which have very high economic value.
Ms. Tho said: “Water bugs are aquatic insects, especially suitable for hot weather, easy to find food such as small fish, live frogs. Just pay attention to avoid pesticides and unpolluted water sources, adjust the amount of food according to the growth cycle, and water bugs can grow quickly."
According to Ms. Tho, in order to continue developing and expanding the profession of raising water bugs, in the coming time, she hopes that the authorities and organizations will support and help her family expand the farm area and the water bug fish sauce processing zone. Only then can the supply be stabilized, aiming to expand the domestic consumption market and export abroad; creating jobs for many local workers.
Fish sauce made from the essential oil of water beetles is valuable, with a price of 400,000 VND per liter.
Mr. Dang Thai Son - Secretary of Loc Ha District Youth Union said: "The facility of raising water bugs and producing traditional fish sauce of Ms. Le Thi Tho is a typical model of the District Youth Union. Currently, we are working with Ms. Tho to prepare a profile to participate in the contest "Creative startup ideas for Ha Tinh province youth in 2023". This is a practical model, with high economic efficiency, very suitable for the local climate and terrain, so it is easy to replicate and develop well".
Vu Huyen
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