Western farmers welcome golden fortune in flood season

* Clip of Dong Thap people catching products during flood season:

From the Hong Ngu border area, Dong Thap province, we followed the road along the So Thuong river to Muong Dop field (Thuong Phuoc commune) to join the people in "welcoming" the first schools of young linh fish of the flood season.

Người dân đánh bắt cá trên sông Sở Thượng — People fishing on the So Thuong River

The So Thuong River is a border river, dividing Dong Thap Province (Vietnam) and Prey Veng Province (Cambodia). The upper stream of the So Thuong is a distributary of the Mekong River, receiving Mekong River water from Peam Ro Town, Peam Ro District, Prey Veng Province.

Cống Mương Dộp được mở cho nước vào đồng — The Dop Canal was opened to let water into the fields.

On the So Thuong River (Thuong Lac Commune), people have begun to cast nets to catch catfish and bream. According to locals, bream is a specialty, only available from June (Lunar calendar) until floodwaters flood the fields.

Nông dân chuẩn bị ngư cụ, thả lưới đánh bắt cá — Farmers prepare fishing gear and cast nets to catch fish.

Mr. Lam Van Teo (56 years old, Thuong Lac commune), who has nearly 40 years of earning a living by fishing in the Hong Ngu border area, said that in previous years there were a lot of fish, and during the flood season, farmers had a big profit. This flood season, there are not many special fish but in return, the price is high, sometimes up to 300,000 VND/kg, so not only Thuong Lac people but also people in Thuong Thoi Hau B also prepare boats, fishing tools, and nets to catch fish.

Thả lưới trên đồng Mương Dộp — Casting nets on Muong Dop field

The Muong Dop sluices (Thuong Lac commune) have been opened, flood water flows into the fields like a giant mirror.

Buổi sáng sớm, người dân biên giới đánh bắt sản vật trên các cánh đồng nước xã Thường Phước — Early morning, border people catch products in the water fields of Thuong Phuoc commune.

Mr. Tran Chi Thanh (48 years old, Thuong Phuoc commune), and his son carried the newly bought fishing nets all the way from Tan Chau ( An Giang province), waded into the rice fields to place more than 20 fishing nets and planted more than ten fishing rods along both banks.

Mr. Thanh said that this year the flood came early, so the linh fish also came early. Since yesterday, I have sold nearly ten kilos of young linh fish. With the price of young linh fish ranging from 100,000-120,000 VND/kg, many people in Thuong Phuoc can earn millions of dong every day if they hit the jackpot.

Giá cá linh non dao động từ 100.000-120.000 đồng/kg, nhiều người dân ở Thường Phước có thể kiếm tiền triệu mỗi ngày — The price of young linh fish ranges from 100,000-120,000 VND/kg, many people in Thuong Phuoc can earn millions of dong every day.

Mr. Tran Van Keng (65 years old, Thuong Phuoc commune) said that the water came back quickly, there were a lot of shrimp and fish, this season our people will surely make a living. In recent years, it has not been successful, but in many years before the floods, Mr. Keng caught several dozen kilos of linh fish every day. "That's why it is said that when the flood comes to the fields, farmers can earn millions of dong, which is a common thing," Mr. Keng affirmed.

Nhiều loại cá, tôm tép, cua, lươn đồng người dân thu được sau khi kéo dớn, thả lưới — Many kinds of fish, shrimp, crab, and eel are caught by people after pulling the net and casting the net.

Along the roads in the border areas, many places have appeared to buy flood season products. Ms. Le Thi Hoai (46 years old, Hong Ngu ward), a trader specializing in buying and selling flood season products in the Thuong Lac area, said that this year, young linh fish arrived early, it was the beginning of the flood season but the output was quite large, in addition to loach, eel, shrimp, crab, snails..., to cool vegetables, dien dien, lotus... These flood season specialties are purchased and supplied to the provinces, cities in the West and Ho Chi Minh City.

Sản vật người dân đánh bắt được thương lái mua tại bờ — The products that people catch are bought by traders on the shore.

In recent years, people in the West have been “thirsty for floods”. The thirst is caused by upstream, climate change, unscientific human intervention and natural imbalance. However, nature still gives farmers in the flood-affected areas a little bit of alluvial soil and products in response to their longing for the flood season.