Tourists visit Kien Giang to experience shrimp harvesting in organic paddy fields. Picture: Huu Duc.
rice shrimp farming area
In the Mekong Delta, many rice companies have established their own paddy rice fields. Among them, Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. opted for a narrow market segment, paving the way for growing standard organic rice to meet consumer demand, which offers great potential.
Exceptionally, the company has worked with local agricultural cooperatives and created a controlled rice cultivation area according to standard production processes to ensure safe and clean rice products and certified organic rice to increase product value.
Shrimp Rice Co.,Ltd. invests in the rice shrimp cultivation area on the west coast of the Mekong Delta. Based on many years of experience in building a network for trading plant seeds, Rice Shrimp Co., Ltd. was founded at the end of 2018. was founded in An Giang and chose, as the company name suggests, a long-term product orientation The aim is to strengthen the connection of value chains, improve the efficiency of rice shrimp farming and create a sustainable rice shrimp ecosystem in the Mekong Delta.
Mr. Huynh Chi Phuong, director of Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd., acknowledged that climate change is affecting the situation of saltwater intrusion into the coastal region of Mekong Delta more and more severely, seriously affecting the lives of rice farmers. In order to find a way to adapt, in recent years farmers have switched their production to the model of 1 rice harvest, 1 shrimp harvest/year instead of the previous 2 rice harvests/year. It’s a way back to the smart, cheap farming model. In the dry season, when the salinity invades the farmers to collect water for shrimp farming, in the rainy season, the farmers store rainwater to wash salt water and plant rice in combination with freshwater shrimp farming. Rice and shrimp products are manufactured to ensure delicious and safe quality. This is the goal of enhancing consumer confidence and awareness of environmentally friendly products, health safety and environmental protection awareness.
Sustainable rice and shrimp cultivation model in Kien Giang. Picture: Huu Duc.
The majority of member farmers in production cooperatives have experienced many effective certified rice harvests and achieved standard certification for all production practice criteria. They recognize one thing in common: organic rice cultivation. It’s not difficult, farmers can do it.
Currently Rice Shrimp Co.,Ltd. associated with the production and construction of a rice shrimp cultivation area in Kien Giang Province covering an area of 560ha with 4 cooperatives including Phu My and Phu Loi (Giang Thanh District) and Nam Quy (An Bien District), Thanh Yen ( U Minh Thuong District). Shrimp Rice Co.,Ltd. has identified two main product lines, 42 hectares of which are dedicated to the production of USDA certified rice (USA) and most of the remaining area dedicated to organic production using the rice-shrimp model. Controlled process according to European standards for safe rice.
Build image, open market
From finding and setting up raw material land for organic rice production to selling clean rice to image building, organic rice brand has obtained international standard certification to meet the necessary conditions for market opening, Co., Ltd. Known and promotes Shrimp Rice 6 Factors (6S) that give shrimp rice a different flavor:
S1 seeds (seeds) use Ho Quang company’s certified varieties (ST24, ST25, ST Purple varieties) to produce pure rice grains.
S2 (soil) rice land in the shrimp farming area (1 rice crop – 1 shrimp crop) inherits organic nutrients from shrimp farming, so the rice plants are healthy, the rice is fragrant and sweet.
S3 (skill) cultivation techniques are taught directly from engineer Ho Quang Cua – the father of ST fragrant rice variety – combined with the farmers’ rice production experience.
S4 standard (standard) shrimp rice is produced according to EU safety standards and organic standards of America (USDA), EU and Japan (JAS).
S5 (storage) stored rice is dried after harvest to a moisture content of 13%, which ensures longer storage. Shrimp rice products are vacuum sealed to preserve the flavor and softness of the rice.
S6 (Sustainability) Sustainability Prawn rice always goes hand in hand with sustainability in the livelihood of farmers, sustainability in environmental protection and nature conservation.
In addition to Shrimp Rice products manufactured to EU safety standards, Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. decided to produce ST organic, nutrient-dense purple rice certified to USDA standards for the past two years. Production areas are controlled and inspected. Farmers associated with this rice variety and meeting the certification standards receive an average purchase price of 12,000 VND/kg, which is 7,000 to 7,500 VND/kg more than normal rice production abroad. Select the functional food line of Organic ST Purple Rice with special high nutritional value, good for health and aid in the treatment of disease to market to consumers for dieters.
According to a rice seed production and trading company that has been developing a USDA-standard organic rice cultivation area in Soc Trang for many years, the Ca Mau Peninsula rice shrimp production area will continue to develop until the winter-spring rice harvest of 2022-2023 . further expanded. At present, the area of organic rice cultivation with standard certification is still modest, about over 535 ha. The production cost and full compliance with the conditions to achieve organic rice certification standards are high, so high production costs pose a challenge in setting up organic rice -growing areas, particularly in relation to organic rice production. Newly opened market, still limited.
Rice Field – Organic Prawns in Kien Giang. Picture: Huu Duc.
However, recently, the USDA standard certified ST organic purple rice has achieved a very good communication effect.
Shrimp Rice Co.,Ltd. announced that the company will produce 30 tons of organic ST purple rice in the 2022-2023 winter-spring rice harvest. Through a partner, the company exported this nutrient-rich rice to the German market for EUR 1,200/ton. In the domestic market, this rice variety can be packed in 900g/box and sold at VND 68,000/box. Currently, USDA certified organic purple rice product ST and clean and safe rice brand Shrimp Rice are available for sale in Can Tho town. Consumption is positive and distribution has been expanded in Ho Chi Minh City.
Director Huynh Chi Phuong said after setting up an organic rice-growing area from standard paddy rice, the company plans to continue investing in the development of processing technology to produce nutritious rice products to bring convenience to consumers. To show consumers how to “tell the truth and do the truth”, Shrimp Rice Co., Ltd. on the other hand, developed and launched a program of land tours, welcoming customers to Kien Giang province to visit the raw material area. Discover the local model “shrimp hugs rice” at organic rice production. Visitors come to visit and listen to the farmers telling stories about rice cultivation and shrimp farming, and experience direct catching of shrimp and fish and can enjoy it directly in the field.
dr Nguyen Cong Thanh from the Asia Organic Agricultural Research and Development Institute (AOI) commented that the shrimp-rice model brings high and sustainable profits. In the Mekong Delta, it is possible to expand to over 250,000 ha, rice production reaches about 800,000 to 1 million tons/year and over 100,000 tons of clean raw shrimp.