The potential for hemispherical pearl culture is still open

The project is led by MSc. Phung Bay, Head of Experimental Biology, Institute for Aquaculture Research 3, under the auspices of the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

This project supports the development of community-based pearl culture models in Tonga and is testing similar models in Vietnam.

In Tonga there is a culture of hemispherical pearls (also known as Mabé pearls) made from female pearl oysters. Hemispherical pearls are less valuable than round pearls, but a shell can produce many hemispherical pearls, which is not the case with round pearls. In addition, it only takes people 8-10 months to get hemispherical beads while it takes 2 years to get round beads.

Female pearls also exist in Vietnam, but people don’t know how to use the shell source to cultivate pearls or make crafts. In addition, people need technical support to develop community-based pearl farming.

The Tonga and Vietnam Pearl Farming Industry Development project is helping to improve farming methods to help increase mussel production, to develop the industry in a sustainable manner and to assess the potential of hemisphere pearl farming in Vietnam. Vietnam and Evaluation of Economic and Social Aspects of Hemispheric Pearl Farming in Tonga and Vietnam.

After five years of implementation, the project has produced a number of results, such as: B. The successful establishment of a closed life-cycle process of pearl mussels from spawning through rearing, pearl transplantation, manufacturing and market development; Create new livelihoods, attract coastal communities in Khanh Hoa, and promote pearl products to regions across the country and to foreign tourists.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Ninh, deputy director of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MARD), evaluated the results of the project and said that the sea projects ginseng and pearls sponsored by ACIAR not only increase production capacity but also contribute to social betterment. economic development, in particular supporting the livelihoods of farmers in disadvantaged areas and coastal areas.

Shells are easy to farm and give gems

Mr. Phung Bay reported the scale of shellfish farming for pearls in Hon Giua, Ngoc Diem Village, Ninh Ich Township, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa, covering an area of ​​about 5,000 m² About 700 mussels were loaded with 5 rafts, each of which was inoculated with 3 or 5 pellets. With a pearl implantation success rate of about 60%, pearl production is around 1,200 to 2,000 pearls per year.

Through the breeding process, it can be seen that there are many benefits to people from cultivating seashells to obtain pearls. In terms of farming, moving from well-known aquatic species such as oysters, clams… to cheap and easy-to-farm objects such as clams will bring better results. Meanwhile, economically speaking, one mussel costs only about VND 50,000-100,000, and after raising it for about 10 months to a year, farmers can earn about VND 600-800 million after deducting the cost of the cage. friends, workers…

In terms of society, Mr Bay said mussels are communal objects, easy to make, easy to manipulate and suitable for all types of farmers. Meanwhile, technicians can teach people cultural techniques in the simplest way.

Regarding the production guarantee of the product, the project consists of studying the market and generating a production. Accordingly, domestic customers mainly want to choose small-size beads, many shapes such as hearts, waterdrops, ovals, and foreign customers prefer large, high-aesthetic beads, said Mr. Bay.

“Most of the pearls produced today are for domestic demand. There are 6 kinds of pearl cores with 7 to 8 sizes that can be transplanted into shells, creating many pearl shapes according to the needs of Vietnamese customers.” In addition, through the survey, European and Pacific countries are also potential customers that the project is targeting,” said a representative of the 3rd Aquaculture Research Institute.

Currently, pearl farming is still a new profession, on a small scale with limited product value and an informal farming area. However, if the farmland is improved and the value of the product increases, Mr. Bay believes it is possible to propose to the government to plan the farmland to develop on a larger scale and in a more sustainable way.

The process of growing pearls is very meticulous and requires precision to the smallest detail, so that the pearl core is placed in the correct position when planting, and the son can receive the pearl core. The technique of pearl implantation is done very carefully, the mussels must be washed clean and free of bacteria to lower the rate of high kernel content mussels. The jade cutting process takes 6 months.

Mr Bay said the mussels will be brought into the breeding season on the spot. When the seed is about 15 cm, you can start planting 3 or 5 pearls. After the transplant, the pearls must continue to grow for 10 months. After 10-12 months it can be harvested, processed and sent to the market.

At present, farmers’ culture capacity is about 60-70%, but there are problems in the process of culture, farmers themselves can give feedback and share their experience with technicians.

Mr. Le Van Nam, the owner of the place where the project is implemented, with more than 10 years of experience in aquaculture and 4 years in the cultivation of mussels for pearls, recognizes the difference in the economic and environmental benefits that his son brings with it.

“The main food source of mussels is algae. Algae grow here, which is a plentiful food source for mussels. “Besides, mussel farming is very clean, it doesn’t require much farming, you only need to invest money in seed once, and then you can change farming,” Mr. Nam said.