Technical, socio - economic and environmental characteristics of the rice - shrimp and shrimp models in My Xuyen district, Soc Trang province

Abstract

The research surveyed 30 rice - shrimp and 30 shrimp monoculture households in Hoa Tu 1 and Ngoc Dong communes, My Xuyen district, Soc Trang province, which was conducted from March to May 2024 to evaluate the technical, socio - economic and environmental characteristics of the two models from which to propose solutions towards sustainable development. The rice sowing schedule on the rice - shrimp model started in August and was harvested in the December of lunar calendar, with average sowing density was 16 kg rice varieties/1000 m² and the rice yield was 900 kg/1000 m². By the end of February and early March of the following lunar year, farmers stock shrimp with an average density of 25,800 and 35,000 PLs/1000 m² on the rice - shrimp and shrimp models, respectively. Shrimp productivity in the shrimp model (649.3 and 609.3 kg/1000 m² for crops 1 and 2, respectively) was higher than that of the rice-shrimp model (558.0 kg/1000 m²). The rice - shrimp model used less chemicals than in the shrimp model, thereby helping to reduce environmental pollution, especially water environment. Specifically, the amount of lime, minerals and probiotics used in the rice-shrimp model were 303; 36 and 0 kg/1000 m²/crop, respectively, were lower than that of the shrimp model (312; 56 and 1.64 kg/1000 m²/crop). Although the profit from the shrimp model (44 million VND/1000 m²/year) was higher than that of rice - shrimp (38 million VND/1000 m²/year), investment cost of the shrimp model was quite high (69 million VND)/1000 m²/year), while the rice - shrimp model had a lower investment (28 million VND/1000 m²/year), leading to a profit margin in the shrimp model (0.77 - 0.82) lower than in the rice - shrimp model (3.05 and 1.67). In addition, the shrimp model faced risks of unusual weather, water pollution and environmental degradation, unstable market prices and crop failure. Changing production models must be consistent with each region's planning towards sustainable economic development, minimizing water pollution and contributing to improving the quality of life. To promote the development of the sustainable rice-shrimp model, it is necessary to cooperate with businesses to support good quality of seeds and stable products prices to have high and stable income.