[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
Nghe An – In 2009, Nguyen Cuong took a risk by reversing the usual procedure and releasing his first batch of shrimp during winter. The result: a profit of half a billion VND.
Cuong, 54, from Dien Trung Commune, Dien Chau District, first ventured into shrimp farming in 2002. However, at the time, he had limited capital and lacked the necessary technical knowledge. He invested 60 million VND to rent a hectare of land for semi-intensive black tiger shrimp farming, but the venture failed. In 2005, he shifted to construction, establishing a company and quickly becoming a well-known contractor. He was hired to oversee major local projects, such as high-rise residential buildings, schools, health centers, and coastal tourism areas.
Despite being his own boss, Cuong realized that as a contractor, he was still subordinate to others. Though projects were completed, there were times when he had to wait years to receive full payment from investors. In 2009, as the construction market slowed down, Cường considered going to Laos to take on projects, but his wife advised him not to. With his two young sons, he didn’t want to leave them behind. After a few days of contemplation, Cường decided to return to aquaculture, believing it was the only way to truly be his own master.
“My family didn’t object, but I was hesitant. If I failed this time, there would be no way out,” Cường recounted. Already owning one hectare of land, he negotiated with local authorities to lease more and bought additional land from his neighbors.
Initially, Cuong planned to dig ponds to raise freshwater eels, having already created a model and scheduled stocking for August that year. However, he became hesitant, as no one in his commune had farmed this species before, and eels required long-term care. If things went wrong, he could lose his entire investment. He decided to stick with shrimp farming because the production cycle was shorter and shrimp could be sold quickly.
Learning from his previous failure, Cuong spent a month traveling to coastal areas from Nghệ An to Quảng Ninh, consulting shrimp farm owners to gather knowledge. In October 2009, he stocked 300,000 whiteleg shrimp for the winter season. His approach went against the norm—at the time, the weather was cold and rainy, and most shrimp farmers were draining their ponds. No one was stocking shrimp, as it was seen as a risky move that almost always led to failure.
“With this cold, you’d be better off sleeping under a blanket than suffering by stocking shrimp,” Cuong recalls a neighbor telling him 15 years ago. Laughing, he said, “I thought, why not try the opposite? Maybe it will be a miracle and create a breakthrough for the industry.”
In the first month after stocking, the shrimp didn’t surface, and Cuong thought they had all died. But by the second month, he breathed a sigh of relief as the shrimp began to appear and grow. The key was not overfeeding them during winter, as it could easily pollute the water.
He purchased several generators to light up the ponds and experimented with different types of feed. After three months, Cuong’s gamble paid off. The 300,000 shrimp yielded 6 tons per pond, with the shrimp selling for 120,000 VND per kilogram at the time. After deducting expenses, he earned a profit of 500 million VND. Hugging his wife, he joyfully exclaimed, “We’ve hit the jackpot!”
After shifting to shrimp farming, Cuong consistently achieved major successes. In 2014, every pond he farmed was profitable. With each three-month cycle, a 1,200 m² pond would yield 4-5 tons of shrimp. Foreign traders came to Nghe An to purchase his shrimp, and his bank account received deposits of 1-2 billion VND daily. Many local traders even brought sacks of cash to conduct business with him.
In addition to his shrimp farming windfalls, from 2012 to 2015, Cuong expanded his business by purchasing and supplying feed and materials to other shrimp farmers in the region. His substantial revenue allowed him to pay off debts from his early startup days, build a new house, buy a car, and support his children’s education.
However, in 2016, his thriving business faced a setback. A disease outbreak hit his shrimp, international markets froze, and prices dropped by half. Many shrimps died or remained unsold, forcing him to destroy some and sell the rest at a loss. He ended up losing more than half a billion VND. Many other shrimp farmers in the area faced similar hardships and abandoned their ponds out of frustration. Yet, Cuong held on, encouraging his wife that they could recover. After a year, he resumed shrimp farming, and soon after, several successful harvests helped him regain his losses.
In 2020-2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, lockdowns disrupted transportation, and markets were closed, preventing Cuong from selling his shrimp. After the pandemic, his shrimp were affected by a liver disease, leading to mass die-offs.
After losing billions of VND again, Cuong began considering the application of high-tech science and technology to limit disease outbreaks in shrimp farming. He invested in a system to control the input water quality, installed covers for the ponds, bought oxygen generators, and placed thermometers to monitor the temperature in each area. These measures were aimed at reducing external environmental impacts and ensuring stable growth for the whiteleg shrimp.
Today, Cuong owns 6 hectares of aquaculture land, with each pond averaging 1,200 m² and stocked with about 100,000 whiteleg shrimps. After 3-4 months, he harvests 2.5-3 tons of shrimp per pond. He typically takes two months off each year to treat and maintain the ponds. To date, he has invested over 15 billion VND in his facilities.
Currently, shrimp are sold for 250,000 VND per kilogram, with most of his market being in northern Vietnam. He sells 3-4 tons of shrimp per batch, producing nearly 100 tons annually. His operation employs 7-8 workers, each earning 8-9 million VND per month. The business generates average annual revenue of 25 billion VND, with profits of 5-6 billion VND after expenses.
His two sons are now grown. His second son studied aquaculture in university and, after interning and working at domestic aquaculture companies, has returned to help his father run the shrimp farming operation.
Once seen as “crazy” by his neighbors, Cuong is now regarded with admiration. At 54, he plans to establish a cooperative and develop his shrimp farming model into an eco-tourism destination, attracting visitors to tour the facility and enjoy fresh, locally cooked shrimp.
As one of 100 individuals recently recognized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union as an Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer in 2024, Cuong feels deeply honored. “I never thought of myself as an outstanding farmer. My life’s goal has always been to provide for my family and contribute to society,” he said.
Nguyen Quang Tung, President of the Nghe An Farmers’ Union, praised Cuong for being dynamic and bold, quickly adopting scientific and technical advancements in aquaculture, which has led to his success. “Beyond being a successful businessman, Cuong is also very supportive of his peers, readily offering feed, materials, and advice on disease prevention to help others thrive,” said Tung.
Source: https://vnexpress.net/buoc-ngoat-dua-chu-thau-thanh-ty-phu-nuoi-tom-4803094.html
WORD BANK:
reverse sth (v): đảo ngược cái gì đó
procedure (n): quy trình
batch (n): mẻ
commune (n): xã
venture into sth (v): bén duyên với cái gì, dấn thân vào điều gì, mạo hiểm làm gì
intensive (adj): (nông nghiệp) thâm canh
black tiger shrimp (n): tôm sú
contractor (n): chủ thầu
subordinate to sb (adj): đứng sau, dưới chướng ai đó
contemplation (n): suy nghĩ
aquaculture (n): nuôi trồng thủy sản
hesitant (adj): đắn đo, lưỡng lự
negotiate (v): thương lượng
lease (v): thuê
initially (adv): ban đầu
eel (n): lươn, cá chình
stick with sth (v): gắn bó với cái gì, bám chặt vào cái gì
consult sb (v): tham khảo ý kiến, kinh nghiệm của ai đó
stock (v): thả nuôi, xuống giống
go against the norm (v): đi ngược lại truyền thống, thói quen thông thường
drain (v): tháo nước
miracle (n): kỳ tích
breakthrough (n): bước đột phá
breathe a sigh of relief (v): thở phào nhẹ nhõm
feed (n): thức ăn động vật
gamble (v): canh bạc
deduct sth (v): trừ đi cái gì
hit the jackpot (v): trúng đậm
consistently (adv): liên tục
yield (v): cho ra (sản phẩm)
sack (v): bao tải
windfall (n): vận may trời cho
substantial (adj): lớn, đáng kể
revenue (n): doanh thu
pay off (v): trả hết nợ
pay off (v): đền đáp xứng đáng
setback (n): sự cố, bước lùi
end up doing sth (v): cuối cùng, rốt cuộc là làm gì
abandon (v): bỏ
hold on (v): cầm cự, bám trụ
lockdown (n): giãn cách xã hội
thermometer (n): nhiệt kế
intern (v): thực tập
cooperative (n): hợp tác xã
dynamic (adj): năng động
bold (adj): táo bạo
supportive of sb/sth (adj): ủng hộ, hỗ trợ
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