Vietnam’s salt production has reached 870,000 tonnes in the first halfof the year, an increase of 9.3 percent year-on-year, according to theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Of the quantity,more than 237,800 tonnes were produced on large-scale fields and therest by individual farmers on a small scale.
For the first sixmonths of the year, the volume of salt harvested from large-scale fieldsincreased by 23 percent over the same period last year.
As of June 20, the country's quantity of salt in stock was about 346,800 tonnes.
Forthe first half of the year, Vietnam imported about 6 million USD ofsalt, down 5.5 percent year-on-year, according to the ministry.
Farmers, who have had a good harvest this year because of favourable weather, are now entering the peak salt season.
FarmerPham Canh Nhan, who owns 3,300sq.m of salt fields in Tuy Phuoc districtin Binh Dinh province, said he had harvested more than 50 tonnes ofsalt and earned 60 million VND (2,800 USD).
Traders are paying1,300 VND (0.06 USD) a kilo for "clean" salt harvested in fields linedwith canvas sheets that protect it from soil contamination.
"With this price, salt farmers can make a profit of 600-700 VND a kilo," Nhan said.
The price of salt harvested in fields without canvas sheets is 1,000 VND a kilo.
Withhigher prices, many farmers in Phu My, Phu Mat and Tuy Phuoc districtshave resumed producing salt in fields that had been left vacant inprevious years.
Nguyen Xuan Nam, an official with the Binh DinhSub-department of Rural Development, said demand for salt to process hasincreased compared to previous years.
In the first half of theyear, the two salt processors in Binh Dinh have bought a total of 3,600tonnes of salt to produce refined and iodised salt, he said.
"To increase value, farmers should invest in producing clean salt by using canvas sheets on salt fields," he said.
BinhDinh has produced a total of 15,321 tonnes of salt in the first half ofthe year, up 20 percent against the same period last year, according tothe province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Theministry has encouraged farmers to use advanced production techniques,including the use of canvas sheets on salt fields to produce a cleanersalt.
Many salt-producing provinces have taught farmers advancedtechniques, and have invested in infrastructure for salt production andtransport.
Nguyen Thanh Cong, Chairman of the Ninh Thuy SaltCooperative, which uses canvas sheets to produce salt in Ninh Hoa townin the central province of Khanh Hoa, said salt yields had increased twotimes compared to traditional methods that do not use any kind oflining atop the soil.
Salt harvested on canvas sheets is whiter, he said.
Manyfarmers are aware that using canvas sheets would produce higher qualityof salt and yield more profits, but they do not have enough money toinvest in this method.
Each hectare of salt produced on canvas sheets costs 200 million VND (9,500 USD).-VNA
Of the quantity,more than 237,800 tonnes were produced on large-scale fields and therest by individual farmers on a small scale.
For the first sixmonths of the year, the volume of salt harvested from large-scale fieldsincreased by 23 percent over the same period last year.
As of June 20, the country's quantity of salt in stock was about 346,800 tonnes.
Forthe first half of the year, Vietnam imported about 6 million USD ofsalt, down 5.5 percent year-on-year, according to the ministry.
Farmers, who have had a good harvest this year because of favourable weather, are now entering the peak salt season.
FarmerPham Canh Nhan, who owns 3,300sq.m of salt fields in Tuy Phuoc districtin Binh Dinh province, said he had harvested more than 50 tonnes ofsalt and earned 60 million VND (2,800 USD).
Traders are paying1,300 VND (0.06 USD) a kilo for "clean" salt harvested in fields linedwith canvas sheets that protect it from soil contamination.
"With this price, salt farmers can make a profit of 600-700 VND a kilo," Nhan said.
The price of salt harvested in fields without canvas sheets is 1,000 VND a kilo.
Withhigher prices, many farmers in Phu My, Phu Mat and Tuy Phuoc districtshave resumed producing salt in fields that had been left vacant inprevious years.
Nguyen Xuan Nam, an official with the Binh DinhSub-department of Rural Development, said demand for salt to process hasincreased compared to previous years.
In the first half of theyear, the two salt processors in Binh Dinh have bought a total of 3,600tonnes of salt to produce refined and iodised salt, he said.
"To increase value, farmers should invest in producing clean salt by using canvas sheets on salt fields," he said.
BinhDinh has produced a total of 15,321 tonnes of salt in the first half ofthe year, up 20 percent against the same period last year, according tothe province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Theministry has encouraged farmers to use advanced production techniques,including the use of canvas sheets on salt fields to produce a cleanersalt.
Many salt-producing provinces have taught farmers advancedtechniques, and have invested in infrastructure for salt production andtransport.
Nguyen Thanh Cong, Chairman of the Ninh Thuy SaltCooperative, which uses canvas sheets to produce salt in Ninh Hoa townin the central province of Khanh Hoa, said salt yields had increased twotimes compared to traditional methods that do not use any kind oflining atop the soil.
Salt harvested on canvas sheets is whiter, he said.
Manyfarmers are aware that using canvas sheets would produce higher qualityof salt and yield more profits, but they do not have enough money toinvest in this method.
Each hectare of salt produced on canvas sheets costs 200 million VND (9,500 USD).-VNA
