In the context of preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, Đồng Tháp farmers suffer severe losses as a result of difficulties in consumption and a drop in the prices of agricultural products, especially seafood.
Mr. Phan Văn Lương, in Phú Điền hamlet, Phú Thành A commune, Tam Nông district, raises more than 4,000 eels in 12 tanks. After 8 months of farming, eels weigh 150-200 grams/piece. The harvest time is coming but the price is too low, and there are no traders. He said, “Eel price has fallen to below 150,000 VND/kg which is much lower compared to the same period last year and the previous months. I will make a loss of 50 million VND if the available eels of my family are sold”.
Tam Nông district has more than 450 hectares of aquaculture. Of which, there are more than 143 hectares of pangasius, more than 231 hectares of white leg shrimp, 1.7 hectares of giant river prawns, tire track eels, red tilapia, snakeskin gourami, nearly 30 hectares of bronze featherback, and 1.18 hectares of eels. Mr. Nguyen Anh Tàu, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tam Nông district stated that the People’s Committee and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front of the district had established a working group to support agricultural product consumption in the context of complicated developments of COVID-19. 15 members of the groups daily assisted farmers, cooperative groups, and cooperatives in resolving local production, harvesting, purchasing, and transporting agricultural products.
410 tons of pickled scallion heads were consumed; the working group has negotiated prices, purchasing methods, and harvesting time with traders to sell the remaining 29 tons. Regarding white leg shrimp, 170 tons were consumed, and over 116 tons of shrimp are in the process of connecting to traders. Besides, dragon fruit, melon, corn, lemon, eel were registered with the Departments of Industry and Trade, the Provincial Department of Agriculture to post on the trading floor for consumption (9 tons of lemon, 290 tons of pickled scallion heads).
Additionally, the “blue shirt shipper” teams in the district also assisted the consumption of 2.2 tons of cucumbers, 1.7 tons of corn, 100 kg of lemons, 500 kg of dragon fruit, 2,000 duck eggs, and many tons of vegetables, fruits, shrimp, fish, eel … Notably, “the consignment Department of agricultural products” of Farmer’s Union at Phú Thành B commune was formed and has been in operation since July 28, 2021.
“The consignment Department of agricultural products” has taken on the consignment and consumed over 07 tons of vegetables, tubers, and fruits, 45 chickens, 590 kg of white leg shrimp, and 1,600 duck eggs, etc. The prices of agricultural and aquatic products were lower than market pricing. Moreover, “the consignment Department of agricultural products” of Phú Thành B commune also supported farmers to consume more than 10 tons of white leg shrimp of all kinds at a price of 60,000 VND/kg (100 pieces/kg) and provided 1,000 eggs for those who face difficult circumstances.
