Ngoc Chien Fisheries Cooperative in Muong La district raises humpback carp in the hydroelectric reservoir.

In July 2022, Mr. Quang Van Hoang from Khau Vai village mobilized several households in the village to form the Ngoc Chien Aquaculture Cooperative, with him as director and a registered capital of over 1 billion VND. To date, the cooperative has 7 members, raising 20 fish cages; including 12 cages of humpback carp, and the rest are catfish and grass carp. During its operation, the cooperative received 100 million VND in support from the district; specialized agencies of the district also assisted in the construction and design of packaging, labels, and traceability stamps for the products. Thanks to cage fish farming, the cooperative members have achieved stable livelihoods.

Leading us on a tour of the fish cages on the Nam Chien hydroelectric reservoir, Mr. Hoang recounted: "Previously, carp were caught naturally in the Chien stream by the locals. To meet the culinary demands of tourists, the locals invested in fish cages and discovered that the carp raised here have different characteristics compared to those raised in other areas. They are long and thick, with a slightly humped back, dark-colored skin, and light yellow fins, tails, and corners of the mouth. The fish have few small bones, and the bones are very soft. This type of carp can be prepared in many ways, such as: Pa Pinh Top (a type of fish dish), fried or deep-fried, steamed, braised, sour soup, fish salad... Each dish has its own unique flavor, but all retain their distinct sweetness and aroma."

To provide consumers with high-quality and safe humpback carp products, the cooperative focuses on controlling the selection of fish breeds and feed. The carp breeds are imported from reputable hatcheries in Son La city and Yen Bai province. The fish feed is entirely natural, such as rice and cornmeal. In addition to supplying fresh fish, the cooperative is also processing smoked humpback carp. After being caught, the fish are gutted, cleaned, and drained; cut into pieces, marinated with chili, mắc khén (a type of spice), etc., for about 15-20 minutes. Then, they are hung in the kitchen attic and smoked over wood fire for about 24 hours, then steamed until cooked. The product is vacuum-packed. When ready to use, simply microwave the fish for about 7 minutes or grill it over charcoal. In June 2024, the cooperative's smoked humpback carp product was recognized as a 3-star OCOP product.

Mr. Quang Van Hong, a member of the cooperative, shared: "When we were encouraged to join the cooperative, my family contributed over 200 million VND along with other members to invest in building cages, buying fish fry and feed. The members are always united and actively learn from successful models in other districts to apply to production. We regularly inspect and reinforce the cages; invest in additional floating containers, replace old and torn nets; supplement feed to increase the fish's resistance, and regularly clean the cages to ensure a healthy environment for the fish to grow."

Raising humpback carp yields twice the income compared to raising regular carp. Currently, the cooperative's selling price for humpback carp is based on weight; fish weighing from 0.5 kg to over 1 kg sell for 160,000 VND/kg; 2 kg fish sell for 180,000 VND/kg; and fish under 0.5 kg sell for 300,000 VND/kg. Smoked humpback carp sells for 500,000 VND/kg; vacuum-packed fresh fish sells for 160,000 VND/kg. With current prices, the cooperative estimates that each humpback carp cage generates an income of 35-40 million VND per year; after deducting expenses, the profit is 15 million VND per cage per year.

Mr. Quang Van Hoang, Director of Ngoc Chien Aquaculture Cooperative, further shared: Raising humpback carp in the Nam Chien hydroelectric reservoir requires good disease prevention and control, especially during the transition from spring to summer. In addition, cages must be regularly cleaned, and lime powder should be sprinkled on the water surface. To exploit the potential and advantages of the locality in economic development, the cooperative hopes to receive attention and support in the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge; promotion and introduction of products into supermarket systems and stores selling safe agricultural products and food, contributing to building the Ngoc Chien clean fish brand.

Source: Son La Newspaper