Ca Mau (VNS/VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau has expanded the area forcultivating both giant river prawns and rice in the same rice fields, accordingto its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Last year, the province, which is the country’s largest shrimp producer, hadabout 18,000ha devoted to breeding giant river prawns and growing rice, up 2.7percent against 2018.

The farming model produces an output of 250 kilogrammes of giant river prawnsper hectare a crop and more than 4.3 tonnes of rice per hectare a crop.

Farmers can earn a profit of 15 – 20 million VND (650 - 870 USD) per hectare acrop under the model.

The model produces clean rice and giant river prawns with few chemicals.

However, the breeding of giant river prawns in rice fields is on small scaleand scattered. The investment in infrastructure for giant river prawn – ricefarming is also not sufficient, according to the department.

In the province, giant river prawns are bred in rice fields, orchard ditchesand ponds with other aquatic species.

Chau Cong Bang, deputy director of the department, said the province couldexpand the area for both giant river prawns and rice in the same rice fields to50,000ha in 2025 if the zoning and investing in infrastructure for the modelgoes well.

The model adapts to climate change and contributes to sustainable,environmentally friendly agricultural production.

The province’s rice has high nutrient value, especially rice farmed under theshrimp – rice farming model.

Ca Mau is one of the delta’s provinces with large giant prawn farming areas.The province has favourable natural conditions for aquaculture and has manyshrimp farming models like semi intensive farming, intensive farming, advancedextensive farming, shrimp – rice farming and shrimp forest farming.

The province has 45,000ha of shrimp – rice farming and 30,000ha of shrimp –forest farming. The farming areas breed giant river prawns, black tiger shrimpand white-legged shrimp.

Most shrimp – rice farming areas are in the districts of Tran Van Thoi, ThoiBinh and U Minh.

Rice fields in the districts have suitable conditions as the shrimp grow welland eat mostly natural food and little processed food, according to thedepartment.

For rice cultivation under the giant river prawn – rice farming model, theprovince has instructed farmers to grow saltwater-resistant rice varieties withshort-term maturity like OM2517, ST24, OM5451, Ca Mau 1 and Ca Mau 3.

The province has encouraged farmers to link up with companies to secure outletsfor their output, and has provided advanced farming techniques to farmers toimprove yield and quality.

The province has also developed a model to breed male giant river prawns inrice fields under Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) to improveyield and quality./.