AquacultureShrimp

Long An – Shrimp farming boom in freshwater heartland sparks long-term sustainability concerns

A surge in converting rice paddies to whiteleg shrimp farms has swept through Long An’s Dong Thap Muoi region over the past five years, despite official warnings against the practice. Many farmers have begun drilling wells to extract brackish groundwater to raise shrimp, drawn by profits far exceeding those from rice cultivation.

In Tan Lap commune (Moc Hoa district), Tran Van Lam converted 1.6 hectares of rice fields into shrimp ponds with an investment of around 5 billion VND (USD 200,000). A successful crop yielded nearly 20 tons of shrimp, sold at 150,000 VND/kg, netting him about 1 billion VND in profit. Similarly, Phạm Ngọc Bưởi switched 2 hectares of land to shrimp farming, running two to three cycles per year depending on weather, and earning 200-300 million VND per hectare in favorable seasons.

To maintain salinity levels suitable for shrimp, farmers drill wells 20-30 meters deep to extract saline groundwater or add salt manually. But salinity is unstable, requiring constant adjustment. Duong Hoang Nhan, another farmer, noted that water treatment costs rise significantly when rains dilute pond salinity, increasing expenses for minerals and lime.

As of June 2025, Dong Thap Muoi hosts nearly 592 hectares of whiteleg shrimp ponds operated by 362 households, concentrated in Moc Hoa, Tan Hung, Tan Thanh, and Thanh Haa districts. However, many farmers have little experience, joining the boom simply by following others. Losses from disease outbreaks and mounting risks have forced some to offset losses in one pond with profits from another.

Local authorities have struggled to rein in the practice. Long An’s Department of Agriculture and Environment reported 357 households violating regulations by drilling wells and converting rice land without approval, issuing fines totaling over 1.5 billion VND. Yet illegal conversions continue. Many ponds initially dug for catfish farming between 2015 and 2020 have now been repurposed for shrimp, complicating efforts to restore rice cultivation.

Dr. Duong Van Ni, a biodiversity expert, warns that Dong Thap Muoi is a critical freshwater ecosystem supporting rice, freshwater fisheries, and fruit production. Introducing brackish-water shrimp farming runs counter to the Mekong Delta’s sustainable development strategy laid out in Resolution 120/NQ-CP.

He cautions that pumping saline water into ponds and overexploiting brackish groundwater risks permanently salinizing soils, contaminating aquifers, and turning the area into a “salt zone” forever. Moreover, deep groundwater extraction can trigger land subsidence, threatening the broader Mekong Delta ecosystem.

In the long run, as disease risks rise, costs increase, and shrimp prices fluctuate, one question looms: If the venture fails, what will farmers do with land left too saline to grow rice again?

VFM 

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