Ben Tre expands new shrimp farming techniques to cut costs, boost yields
Shrimp farmers in Ben Tre Province are adopting new technologies such as using chlorine gas for water treatment and installing pond covers, helping reduce production costs while improving yields and profitability.
Dang Van Bay, a farmer in Thanh Phong Commune, Thanh Phu District, said that after switching from powdered chlorine to chlorine gas to disinfect pond water over the past two years, his family has saved about VND 1 billion (approximately USD 40,000) annually. Previously, water treatment required large areas and more labor because powdered chlorine dissolved unevenly and posed health risks. Chlorine gas reduces the required treatment area, allowing more land to be used for ponds, while cleaner water improves shrimp health and increases productivity. Bay’s 40-plus hectares of high-tech shrimp ponds now use this method.
Similarly, Le Van Sam in Thanh Hai Commune has saved around VND 1.5 billion (USD 60,000) annually by switching to chlorine gas. He also invested in full pond covers to prevent disease spread by birds and to enable timely isolation of sick ponds. The covers help stabilize water temperatures, proving especially effective during off-season crops. These innovations have cut costs and boosted yields, increasing his farm’s profitability by 15-20%.
Nguyen Van Ban, chairman of the Ben Tre Farmers’ Union, said the union is scaling up these successful models through networks such as the “Billionaire Shrimp Farmers” clubs. Knowledge-sharing has helped many households adopt chlorine gas and enclosed pond systems in place of older methods.
Ben Tre Province currently has more than 3,500 hectares of multi-phase high-tech shrimp farms. The Farmers’ Union plans to continue supporting the expansion of these efficient models to increase output and improve product quality for both domestic and export markets.
VFM
