In 2021, the C.P Vietnam Corporation introduced a new shrimp farming model, namely CPF-Combine Mini targeted to small scale farmers. The Combine Mini has three advantages: small area, small amount of investment cost, and labors from the family. Shrimp can reach the size of 20 pcs/kg.
Lê Thế Hải, Assistant of Deputy General Director in charge of Business in C.P Vietnam Corporation said that the three CPF-Combine Mini growing models developed by farmer Vũ Đình Hà in Bình Đại district are evaluated as samples to introduce to other households.
The key to the success of the CPF-Combine Mini is the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). In the built-up Bình Đại town with a small area of land, Hà experienced seven crops of shrimp in the mini growing model with a success rate of 80-100%. Hà shared: “RAS is considered “the heart” of the CPF-Combine Mini model. Most farmers coming to visit and learn about the model questioned the effectiveness of the recirculating aquaculture system when seeing as many as eight tenths of the investment cost and land being used for such a system. The entirely closed RAS helps purify the environment, protect shrimps from diseases, and reduce possible risks faced by farmers that may result in losses. Moreover, the system causes no harm to the surrounding environment as it does not discharge directly to the outside environment and has its own biogas basin. Shrimp droppings do not smell and are used as fertilizers to plants.
In Hà’s planning, the CPF-Combine Mini model requires 10,000 m2 for each farming area, an investment cost of VND 800 million, and two workers (thus, small scale farmers such as a couple can carry out and manage this model). He allocates 8,000 m2 of land for RAS, 50-100 m2 of land for a post larva nursery or a ready pond and a settlement pond (the largest area), and 500-600 m2 of land for each grow-out pond.
This model produces 2.5 crops of white leg shrimp per year on average, with the culture period of 100-110 days each. Water is treated by Potassium permanganate and chlor without causing any harm to the environment. In his evaluation after seven crops, the CPF-Combine Mini model can bring in a success rate of 80-100%, and shrimp can reach the size of 28 pcs/kg. The maximum size is 20 pcs/kg.
It costs VND 80 thousand to produce one kilogram of shrimp from a traditional grow-out pond while the CPF-Combine Mini costs VND 100 thousand. However, with a clean environment, shrimp weigh up well, stay healthy and reach big sizes, resulting in the selling price of 160 thousand dong/kg and the profit of 160 thousand dong/kg (it is 120 thousand dong/kg from traditional ponds). The payback period is just after two crops. Shrimp from the CPF-Combine Mini ponds are easy to sell. From Hà’s success, 50 households in Bình Đại are carrying out this model with a total farming area of 50 hectares.
VFM
