Cheap salt, abandoned land, salt farmers are not interested!

(Baohatinh.vn) - Salt making is a traditional profession of the coastal people of Ha Tinh, but in recent years, salt prices have dropped and products have been sluggish, so this profession has faced many difficulties.

Abandoned salt fields, overgrown with grass

Thach Ban Commune (Thach Ha District), now Dinh Ban ( Ha Tinh City), was once known as the salt production granary of the whole province. More than 10 years ago, up to 80% of the local people considered salt production as their main source of income.

However, this profession has now faded away, and people are no longer interested in salt production. The salt field, which is nearly 77 hectares wide, is now overgrown with grass. Most of the infrastructure system has long been abandoned, damaged and degraded. Drying yards, sewer systems, and septic tanks are broken and scattered. Looking at the abandoned and wasteful salt fields makes many people in Dinh Ban commune feel regretful.

Ms. Tran Thi Tan, Tan Phong village, Dinh Ban commune shared: "In the past, everyone in my village made salt, every house had a warehouse to store salt to sell all year round. The salt making business at that time brought in a good income, supporting the whole family and children's education. Now they have all given up, working for hire, looking at the abandoned land is such a pity."

Damaged water tanks lying around

In the salt fields in Dinh Ban commune, there are now only about 20 workers, mostly elderly people. The family of Mr. Tran Van Phuong (Tan Phong village) is one of the few salt farmers still clinging to 1 sao of land to make salt.

Mr. Phuong said: "The reason I still stick to the salt fields is because this is the profession my ancestors passed down, and I have no other choice as my health and age are no longer suitable for working far away. Making salt is hard work while the wages are too low. If there is enough hot weather in a day, two workers can only make 1.5 quintals of salt, and at a good price, they only earn about 300,000 VND."

In Dinh Ban commune, there are only a few households left making salt.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Nguyen Truong Son, Vice Chairman of Dinh Ban Commune People's Committee, said: "The situation of salt fields being abandoned for many years is very regrettable. The local government has sought solutions, especially finding partners to purchase salt products for the people, but there have been no results. We will continue to contact salt purchasing enterprises to stabilize the purchase, and at the same time, promote and encourage salt farmers to gradually restore the salt industry. The government is also implementing procedures to grant long-term salt land use rights to households that have continuously made salt for 3 years or more."

This situation is also happening in Ho Do commune (Ha Tinh city), with nearly 100 hectares of salt land left fallow for many years. Low salt prices and products that are difficult to sell are the direct causes leading to people no longer being interested in the profession. For a long time, salt land in Ho Do has not been invested in production. The ponds and filters are degraded and damaged, the drying yards are covered with weeds. Many water channels have become garbage collection points, causing environmental pollution. Knowing that leaving land fallow is undesirable, salt farmers have no other viable options.

Leaders of Ho Do commune went to the salt fields to encourage salt farmers to produce.

Mr. Le Son, Yen Tho village shared: "It's heartbreaking to see abandoned salt fields, but the salt produced is so cheap. We hope the government can find a way to help people stabilize salt prices, so that salt farmers can return to their traditional profession."

Mr. Truong Ba Khanh - Chairman of Ho Do Commune People's Committee said: "Abandoned salt land is something that the local government is very concerned about. However, it is very difficult to handle this situation, when the salt price is low, people work very hard but their income is not enough. The local government has converted 33 hectares of salt land to aquaculture, the rest is being encouraged and supported by people to increase salt production. The most important thing is to find a stable output to be able to restore the salt industry."

Not only Dinh Ban commune or Ho Do commune, but the situation of salt industry fading away is happening in all localities with salt land in the province. According to statistics, the whole province has about 384 hectares of salt land in Ky Anh town, Cam Xuyen, Ha Tinh city, Thach Ha district, but currently only maintaining production of about 40 hectares.

Dozens of hectares of salt land in Ky Ha commune, Ky Anh town are abandoned.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Rural Development and Quality Management (Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ha Tinh) said: The unit will continue to review land area, planning of salt fields, storage systems, productive and quality lands to protect and prioritize salt production.

At the same time, develop a project to convert inefficient and uncompetitive salt fields into other industries with higher economic efficiency. Promote salt promotion, transfer of technical advances, provide information and training to improve the qualifications of salt farmers."

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/muoi-re-dat-bo-hoang-diem-dan-khong-man-ma-post290697.html