Nghe An mountainous farmers raise mud-free eels in cement tanks

Clip: Xuan Hoang - Quang An

When mentioning Nghe An eel specialties, people often think of Yen Thanh district, however, eel farming models have recently begun to appear in other localities. In the mountainous district of Tan Ky, the model of raising eels in mud-free cement tanks in Nghia Dong commune is considered successful despite being put into testing not long ago.

bna_lươn 5.jpg — Eel farming model in cement tank of Mr. Phan Ke Toai in hamlet 3, Nghia Dong commune (Tan Ky). Photo: X. Hoang

The owner of the model is Mr. Phan Ke Toai in Hamlet 3, Nghia Dong Commune. After retiring, he started with a passion for aquaculture. After consulting books, newspapers and studying in localities, he decided to build a mud-free eel farming model in cement tanks from the end of 2022.

bna_lươn 6.jpg — Eel is a specialty of Nghe An province, popular in the market for many years. Photo: Q.An

Mr. Toai said: Currently, eel is a specialty of Nghe An province, with a large consumer market. However, if we only rely on traditional wild eel catching, we cannot meet the demand. Therefore, raising eels and proactively providing a source of commercial eels is one of the directions that can bring economic efficiency.

With an area of 1,000m2 ^of land, Mr. Toai built 75 cement tanks, of which 10 tanks were for raising eel fry and 65 tanks for raising commercial eels. He imported eel fry from several districts such as Quynh Luu, Do Luong or Binh Dinh province. However, from the first experiment, the results were not as expected.

bna_lươn 4.jpg — Fresh eels are sold for 120,000 - 160,000 VND/kg, and if processed, they cost over 200,000 VND/kg. Photo: Q.An

“At first, when I imported eels, I found that they adapted quickly to the environment, lived well, and grew quite quickly. However, in 2023, due to some fields next to the people spraying pesticides, the wind blew into the ponds, so just a few days later, the eels died en masse. After that, I learned a lot of experience, especially in carefully covering the farming area…”, Mr. Toai shared.

It is known that after that failure, Mr. Toai became even more determined and did not give up his passion. The following batches of eels all grew well. The time from stocking to harvesting is from 6 to 9 months. The good news is that wherever the eels are sold, they are purchased by traders, not only sold within the province but also restaurants and eateries in the South and the North have contacted to place large orders.

bna_lươn 3.jpg — Currently, Mr. Toai's family has 10 tanks for raising eel fry. Photo: X. Hoang

Currently, if selling fresh eel, the price is only from 120,000 - 160,000 VND/kg depending on the time, so Mr. Toai has also invested in a processing area. After harvesting, the eel will be deboned, frozen, packaged, vacuum-sealed, and imported to provinces and cities at a price of 220,000 - 250,000 VND/kg. After each harvest of hundreds of kilograms, after deducting expenses, Mr. Toai also earns hundreds of millions of VND.

Mr. Toai emphasized: Raising eels has many advantages such as being easy to raise, having few diseases, and if diseases appear, they are easy to cure. Most importantly, the output is guaranteed with stable prices, which is the deciding factor for the survival of the model. However, to successfully raise eels, it is also necessary to pay attention to ensuring that the eel's living environment is clean, the water source for raising eels must be clean, and the amount of food must be balanced to reduce costs.

bna_lương 1.jpg — The mud-free eel farming model has promoted economic efficiency in Nghia Dong commune, Tan Ky district. Photo: Q.An

Mr. Le Viet Quy - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tan Ky district said: Among the aquaculture models in the district, the mud-free eel farming model in cement tanks of Mr. Phan Ke Toai in Nghia Dong commune has promoted economic efficiency.

The success of this model not only creates an effective source of income for the family but also opens up a new direction in economic development, encourages the spirit of learning for local people, contributes to hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in the locality. In the coming time, Tan Ky district will continue to support people who want to raise eels to visit and learn from experiences to replicate the model in the locality./.

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