Can Tho farmers increase income thanks to the model of raising sea crabs in plastic boxes

The model of commercial crab farming in plastic boxes is opening a new direction for farmers in Can Tho city, helping to optimize production, increase survival rate, ease management and bring sustainable economic efficiency.

Can Tho farmers increase their income thanks to the model of raising sea crabs in plastic boxes.

At Mr. Du Quoc Bao’s crab farm in Vinh Phuoc Ward (Can Tho City), hundreds of plastic boxes are arranged neatly on the pond, each box is a “private home” for each crab. Mr. Bao carefully lifted the lid to check and said: “This type of farming is more labor intensive, but it is easy to manage.”

According to Mr. Bao, raising crabs in separate boxes will help prevent them from biting each other, and increase their survival rate. Thanks to that, each crop, Mr. Bao can harvest about 720 kg of crabs on 0.4 hectares, while traditional orchid farming requires 1 hectare to produce about 1 ton.

The model of raising marine animals in plastic boxes has many outstanding advantages because we can actively harvest soft-shell crabs and soft-shell crabs, which have a value 2-3 times higher than regular meat crabs.

The production reality here shows that the model of raising crabs in boxes not only helps reduce loss and increase output but also helps farmers be more proactive in care and management. Thanks to each crab being "separately" in the box, farmers can easily control the amount of food, monitor the health of each individual and minimize the spread of disease. Crabs develop evenly, have firmer meat and taste better than traditional farming methods.

According to MSc. Lam Anh Tien, Can Tho City Agricultural Service Center, for this model to be highly effective, farmers need to pay special attention to technical factors, especially the quality of the breed and the water environment. “With crab breeds exploited from nature, the selection stage is extremely important. The breeds must be healthy and not damaged during transportation or domestication, otherwise it will lead to high losses,” Ms. Tien emphasized.

Crab farming model in plastic boxes of Mr. Du Quoc Bao, Vinh Phuoc ward (Can Tho city).

On a large farm scale, the farming system is often invested in a more systematic way with roofed houses, circulating water treatment and control systems. The water source is carefully treated and continuously flows through each box, creating a stable living environment, less affected by external weather factors.

However, for household scale, especially when placing box rafts directly outside the pond, there is a major limitation that needs to be overcome. "The water level in the box is usually only about 10 - 20 cm (1 - 2 inches). When the weather is hot, the shallow water temperature will increase very quickly, adversely affecting the health of the crabs. Therefore, farmers need to make a roof or use covering materials to reduce the heat, ensuring an optimal living environment for the animals," Ms. Tien recommended.

MSc. Lam Anh Tien, Can Tho City Agricultural Service Center instructs households on techniques for raising sea crabs in plastic boxes.

Previously, Vinh Phuoc ward people mainly raised crabs in an extensive manner, depending heavily on nature, so the economic efficiency was not high and quality control was difficult. The birth of the model of raising in plastic boxes has proven that this is an advanced scientific and technical solution, helping to maximize the value of commercial crabs.

Although Can Tho is not a pioneer in applying this method, with the orientation of linking households and businesses along the value chain, the city's crab farming industry promises to develop sustainably, bringing a stable source of income to the people.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/nong-dan-can-tho-tang-thu-nhap-nho-mo-hinh-nuoi-cua-bien-trong-hop-nhua-20251004111103479.htm