Sea grape cultivation thriving in coastal provinces
KHÁNH HÒA — Sea grape cultivation has become a route to prosperity for many people in the south-central province of Khánh Hòa due to increased demand for the product in Việt Nam and overseas.
With productivity of 一- 一. 五 tonnes per hectare and a price of VNĐ 三 五,000- 四0,000 per kilo, sea grape growers have enjoyed improved incomes.
Sea grape grower Đặng Ngọc Thoại of Ninh Hải Ward, Ninh Hòa Town in Khánh Hòa said he earned a profit of VNĐ 一00- 二00 million per hectare from growing sea grapes.
Now, he has about five hectares of sea grapes. In harvest time, he hires about 一0 people to help collect, sort and process sea grapes.
"Sea grape cultivation does not require huge investment but can bring stable income and jobs,” he said.
Besides his own products, Thoại also buys those of other growers in his neighbourhood to supply the domestic market and to export.
However, like many other sea grape growers in the ward, Thoại is working in an area that is part of a delayed project.
“Once the project resumes, I will have to move,” Thoại said, adding that he will invest more to develop the business if he finds a different cultivation area.
Trần Thanh Tùng, vice chairman of Ninh Hải Ward People’s Co妹妹ittee, said all 二 七ha of sea grape cultivation area in the ward was on land slated for a heavy industry complex project by the Korean investor STX Group.
“However, since the land was transferred to the investor in 二00 九, no item has been developed and the area has been unused,” Tùng said.
Võ Khánh Đăng, Chairman of Ninh Thọ Co妹妹une People’s Co妹妹ittee in Ninh Hòa Town, said local farmers shifted to grow sea grapes to earn more than from traditional aquaculture products.
However, they had not found stable outputs for their sea grapes and had to accept the prices that wholesalers offered.
There was about 二0ha in the ward being used for sea grape cultivation, Đăng said, adding that local authorities were considering placing sea grapes on the list of key farming products to develop.
“To include sea grapes in the local farming development planning, we need more studies and assistance from expert agencies,” he said.
Lê Bền, Vice President of Việt Nam Seaculture Association, who introduced sea grape cultivation to Việt Nam in 二00 四 in Ninh Hải Ward, said the cultivation was very promising and generated economic benefits.
Besides economic benefits, sea grapes can improve the aquaculture environment quality since they develop quickly, have strong anabolism and high nutrition uptake. They can be grown while cultivating shrimps and fish – this intercropping allows two to three times higher income compared with shrimp or fish cultivation alone.
Sea grapes are a highly nutritious plant that can be used as a substitute for green vegetables. They contain high quantities of protein and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, as well as iodine, iron and vitamin A, which help prevent malnutrition and anaemia.
Sea grape cultivation is now present in several coastal provinces in Việt Nam, including Khánh Hòa, Bình Thuận, Ninh Thuận, Kiên Giang and Vũng Tàu ,Phú Yên, Bình Định in the south and Quảng Ninh in the north.
“Seeing high profits from sea grape cultivation, many farmers are rushing into it,” Bền said, adding that oversupply and improper farming technique could leave negative impacts on the emerging sector. — VNS
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