Revitalizing underperforming shrimp farming areas for sustainable growth

A New Way Forward for Underperforming Shrimp Farms

Moving Away from High-Risk Shrimp to Safer Babylon Snail Farming

Persistent disease outbreaks in whiteleg shrimp have led Mr. Huynh Van Tung (Thang Truong Commune) to pivot entirely to spotted babylon snails. He meticulously prepared his old shrimp ponds by draining, liming, and layering 20 cm of clean white sand for the snails, alongside shading grids to regulate temperature.

Currently raising 300 seed snails/m² across 6 ponds, he plans to expand to 12 commercial ponds at 150/m² next month using certified disease-free stock from Khanh Hoa. A 8–10 month cycle yields about 1.5 tons per 1,000 m², generating 300 million VND with over 100 million VND in profit, Tung shared.

Local officials report that 30 households in the commune now cultivate 80,000 m² of snails, mostly converted from failed shrimp ponds. With high demand and strong prices, local authorities actively encourage farmers to follow proper technical and environmental standards for sustainable growth.

  

 

Prospering through Intertidal Polyculture

Beyond snail farming, coastal farmers in nearby districts are replacing low-efficiency shrimp with polyculture systems: spinefoot fish-crab or black tiger shrimp-crab-barramundi.

In Hoi An Dong Ward, Mr. Huynh Van Dong stocked 5,000 crabs alongside spinefoot fish in a 2,000 m² pond. The crabs reached nearly 0.4 kg each with low mortality, while the fish grew quickly to 3 fish/kg. Maintaining clean water and using probiotics keeps their immune systems strong, Dong noted.

Local agricultural leaders confirm that polyculture breaks disease cycles, optimizes feed efficiency across water layers, and stabilizes income. The Agricultural Extension Center plans to expand VietGAP and organic polyculture models citywide to boost overall product value.

 

AQUA MINA CO., LTD