Salt fields in Đông Hải District in Bạc Liêu Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

BẠC LIÊU — Bạc Liêu Province aims to enhance the value of its salt production by adopting advanced techniques and machinery to increase yields and quality and reducing production costs.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province also plans to boost the competitiveness of its salt products, thus increasing farmers' profits and improving their livelihoods.

The province will focus on developing brand names for its salt products, implementing trade promotion activities and encouraging investment in salt production.

Bạc Liêu salt, also known as Ba Thắc salt, is renowned nationwide.

Salt production is a traditional craft in the province, with a history of some 100 years.

Ba Thắc - Bạc Liêu salt is regarded as “white gold” by producers.

Despite facing many challenges, they remain determined to sustain the profession and hope for its flourishing revival, Phạm Văn Thiều, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said.

Bạc Liêu, one of Việt Nam’s largest salt-producing provinces, has nearly 1,500 hectares of salt fields, primarily in Đông Hải District.

The province has 777 households involved in the production of salt.

This year’s salt-making season has gotten underway. Weather conditions are favourable, and so farmers anticipate a successful harvest.

Trần Văn Thưa, a farmer in Đông Hải District’s Điền Hải Commune, said: “Local farmers are busy preparing for the salt production season, including repairing ditches [used to transport seawater to the salt fields].”

Despite achieving high output in the previous salt season, farmers faced challenges due to slow sales and low prices, he said.

The sluggish sales in recent years were partly caused by traders collaborating to drive down prices, resulting in low salt prices during peak harvest periods, he said.

Farmers hope for support to stabilise sales and develop salt products under the country’s “One Commune-One Product” (OCOP) programme.

Phan Chí Tâm, a farmer in Hòa Bình District’s Vĩnh Thịnh Commune, said the province should implement policies to stabilise salt prices to ease the difficulties faced by farmers.

He also emphasised the need for investment in infrastructure to improve salt production and transportation, thereby enhancing the value of the product.

Phạm Văn Mười, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the department would promote mechanisation of salt production to reduce costs and improve farmers' incomes.

The province plans to develop adequate infrastructure in salt production areas, foster co-operatives and strengthen linkages between farmers and companies for production and sales.

It plans to preserve and develop traditional salt-making practices in combination with tourism services while promoting the Bạc Liêu salt brand both domestically and internationally.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province will organise the ‘Vietnamese Salt Craft Festival - Bạc Liêu 2025: 100-Year Journey of Salt – Human Life’ from March 6 to 8.

This event aims to honour, preserve and promote salt-making traditions, enhance the value and export potential of Vietnamese salt and specifically highlight Bạc Liêu’s salt.

The festival will also provide a platform for sharing experiences and knowledge in salt production, processing and trading among provinces and cities nationwide.

The province’s salt-making craft has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Bạc Liêu salt has received a geographical indication certificate from the National Office of Intellectual Property.

Famed for its delicious taste, the salt is exported to numerous countries, including Japan and South Korea.

The provincial People’s Committee has submitted documents to petition the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to recognise Bạc Liêu’s refined salt and coarse salt as five-star products under the OCOP programme. VNA/VNS