Specifically, the price of molluscs at purchasing agents on the morning of April 25 increased on average by 5,000 – 10,000 VND/kg, such as clams of 50 pieces/kg, purchasing price of 35,000 VND/kg; Clams of 10 pieces/kg purchase price is 30,000 VND/kg, blood cockles of 80 – 1000 pieces/kg purchase price is 115,000 VND/kg. Particularly, meat crabs and brick crabs of type 1 size (1 – 2 pieces/kg) are priced at 450,000 VND/kg, type 2 crabs (4 – 5 pieces/kg) are priced at 300,000 – 350,000 VND/kg, an increase of 50,000 VND/kg. kg compared to 3 days ago. For type 2 giant freshwater shrimp (8 – 10 pieces/kg) the price is 250,000 – 260,000 VND/kg, an increase of 10,000 – 20,000 VND/kg.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Tai, owner of a seafood purchasing agent at Tra Vinh market, said that the prices of seafood began to increase mainly thanks to the southern provinces and cities, especially the city market. Ho Chi Minh City is experiencing a sharp increase in seafood consumption demand. In addition, the source of mud crabs and giant freshwater prawns in farming areas in the province is currently at the beginning of the new farming season, so the harvest of mud crabs and giant giant freshwater shrimp of size type 1 and type 2 has decreased by up to 60%. Supply is not enough to meet market demand.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, a farmer specializing in mud crab farming in Rach Goc hamlet, Long Hoa island commune, Chau Thanh district, said that mud crab farming takes about 4-5 months from stocking crab seeds to harvesting. Therefore, most mud crab farming areas in the province have not reached harvest time yet. Currently, there are only aquaculture households following the forest – extensive aquaculture model combined with shrimp – crab – fish farming that is harvested by thinning, selecting crabs of suitable size for sale, so the output is not much.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tra Vinh province, from the beginning of the year until now, farmers in coastal areas in the province have just raised more than 67 million mud crab seeds, covering an area of 12,433 hectares, reaching 54% of the year’s plan. The output of farmed mud crabs has been harvested at more than 1,444 tons, reaching more than 23% of the total output of farmed crabs harvested in 2023.
