Tien Giang clam elevates the Vietnamese clam brand

Clams are one of the four key provincial-level seafood products according to Decision No. 164/QD-UBND dated January 25, 2021 of the Tien Giang Provincial People's Committee and are favored in many markets around the world, such as Europe, the Americas, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, etc. Developing the clam farming industry has effectively exploited the area of coastal tidal flats and created jobs for about 200,000 workers.

Tien Giang is one of the provinces where the clam industry developed in Vietnam very early, with a fast and sustainable growth rate. As of now, the entire province has 187 households leased land by the State to raise clams, with a total area of 2,320 hectares. Go Cong Dong district alone has 182 households with an area of 2,200 hectares, contributing to solving many of the locality’s socio-economic problems and creating jobs for thousands of workers.

Despite a long development process, the clam farming industry in Go Cong Dong has gone through many ups and downs. To be specific, it has been affected by climate change, disease epidemics, unstable prices, and unstable income, especially the increasingly high requirements of the import market in the context of the "global economic recession".

To enhance the value and brand of Tien Giang clam products, in 2011, the Provincial People's Committee approved the implementation of the science and technology topic "Building a clam (Meretrix lyrata) exploitation management area in Go Cong, Tien Giang, according to the standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)”.

By 2018, the province’s Agriculture and Rural Development sector continued to coordinate with the International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability (ICAFIS) to implement the project "Developing a Comprehensive and Sustainable Clam-Bamboo Value Chain in Vietnam". However, during the certification assessment process in September 2022, unexpected issues arose, so the MSC certification assessment for the Tien Giang clam area was forced to stop even though the project's activities had received the support and enthusiastic participation of the clam farming community group in Tan Thanh commune, Go Cong Dong district.

Through the evaluation of the Tien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Go Cong Dong District People's Committee, OxFam, and ICAFIS certified that ASC certification is a sustainable aquaculture certification that has been favored by many international markets, such as Europe, the Americas, Japan, etc.

Besides, ASC allows for the allocation of density and production according to plan, so it will be more suitable for the clam industry in Tien Giang province than MSC certification. Therefore, OxFam and ICAFIS agreed to continue supporting the clam industry in Tien Giang province in applying ASC certification to create opportunities for small-scale producers to participate in integration.

Since the fourth quarter of 2022, the world fisheries industry in general and the Vietnamese clam and seafood industry in particular have faced many challenges from the impact of the global economic recession. Specifically, market demand has decreased sharply. Prices of clams and many aquatic products have decreased deeply, while the requirements of importing countries have become increasingly high.

The event that Tien Giang province's clam industry achieved ASC certification is a great joy for the fishing community and is also a hit to "break the ice" of the recession period, helping to enhance the value, image, and especially “competitiveness" of Vietnamese clam products in the international arena.

Mr. Le Van Son, Chairman of the Go Cong Dong District People's Committee, said: Previously, clam farming was very favorable. However, in recent years, due to the impact of climate change, clams have often been infected with epidemics during the hot season. Thereby, clam farmers have encountered difficulties.

Currently, farmers no longer stock at high density like before but raise sparsely to reduce disease outbreaks. Clam seeds, when stocked, have a size of about 1,000 heads/kg. After being raised for one year to reach a size of 45–50 heads/kg, they will be harvested. Productivity is about 25–30 tons/ha. The average selling price at the yard fluctuates around VND 25,000/kg. After deducting expenses for yard rental, maintenance, seeds, etc., farmers can achieve a profit of over 50%. ASC certification will be a passport for clams to enter demanding markets such as Europe and America, helping to increase value.

The ASC Certificate Awarding Ceremony and signing of the clam value chain linkage took place on November 15, 2023, at the Cultural Center of Tan Thanh commune, Go Cong Dong district. It is known that Tien Giang is the fourth province in the country after Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Tra Vinh to have a unit that achieves this certification. The Bai Islet Management Board will be the unit managing exploitation and promoting the ASC clam brand value. For the remaining clam area, the Tien Giang Sub-Department of Fisheries added that there will be a plan to expand the area meeting ASC standards.