Veteran farmer partners with major company to build a high-tech pig farm

Born and raised in Hanoi (rooted in old Ha Tay), Duong Hoang Dung, now 68, moved to the Mekong Delta with his family at the age of 20. After studying and working in the agricultural sector, he left to pursue business. He traded fabric and took on various jobs before returning to agriculture, encouraged by his father-in-law, who lent him land to raise market hogs and breeding pigs in Dinh Khanh B hamlet (Truong Thanh commune, Can Tho City).

Dung began his farming journey in 2004 with just 50 market hogs. He had no experience at all, so he searched every major bookstore in Can Tho for pig farming manuals and learned everything on my own. His first year ended in failure, as many pigs died because of his lack of technical knowledge, wiping out his initial investment.

Undeterred, he invested more than VND 500 million in a second production cycle while learning from experienced livestock producers and veterinarians. As he gradually accumulated capital, he purchased five cong (roughly half a hectare) of land from his father-in-law to expand the farm.

His greatest challenge came in 2018–2019, when African swine fever swept through Vietnam. More than 1,000 pigs, including breeding stock and market hogs, had to be culled, causing losses exceeding VND 2 billion. The devastating blow forced his family to suspend production for an entire year.

It was precisely during that challenging period that this 68-year-old farmer’s resolve became even more unshakeable. Realizing that traditional farming methods were no longer secure, he decided to partner with major companies like C.P. to implement a new technology-driven production procedure for breeding pigs. To secure the necessary capital, he had to mortgage the family's land-use rights certificates to the bank and borrow additional funds from friends and relatives.

Today, Dung operates four permanent barns covering more than 2,500 square meters, including two farrowing houses and two gestation barns. All are fully enclosed and equipped with air-conditioning systems that carefully regulate temperature and humidity, creating ideal conditions for breeding performance and piglet quality.

His farm maintains approximately 200 breeding sows that supply high-quality piglets to major livestock companies. Each sow produces two litters annually, with 10 to 15 piglets per litter. The farm supplies around 4,000 breeding piglets each year. Piglets weighing 8 to 9 kilograms are sold at stable prices of VND 1.7–1.8 million each, generating profits of VND 500,000–600,000 per pig after production costs.

One of the farm's greatest strengths is its effective environmental management, addressing the odor and waste problems commonly associated with conventional livestock operations.

"If you're going to do it, it has to be sustainable," Dung said. "All livestock waste is directed into a reinforced concrete biogas system instead of the plastic digesters that deteriorate quickly. The manure is fully treated, producing cooking gas while also being composted into organic fertilizer for our fruit orchard. We also sell organic fertilizer to neighboring farmers growing vegetables and fruit trees."

Dung's high-tech breeding model has not only generated strong economic returns for his family but also earned recognition from local authorities and Can Tho's agricultural sector.

"After visiting the farm, we found the entire production process to be fully integrated—from feed, breeding stock, and veterinary care to product delivery. Dung is the first farmer in our locality to use 100% climate-controlled housing for breeding sows and piglets,” said Phan Thien Khanh, head of Dinh Khanh B hamlet.

There are currently five to six commercial-scale livestock farms in the hamlet, with no more small household operations. The greatest advantage of this model is its excellent environmental performance. The concrete biogas system eliminates odors, ensuring no impact on surrounding residents. We are encouraging other farms to replicate this model.

Nguyen Van Phu, Chairman of the Truong Thanh Commune Farmers' Union, shared the same view. While most livestock households in the commune still operate on a small scale, only a handful have adopted large-scale, closed-loop production meeting VietGAP standards, including Dung's farm.

"Our local development strategy is to promote high-tech, biological, and safe livestock production," Phu said. "The Farmers' Union will continue helping members access preferential loans through the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to expand production. We will also work with the commune's Economic Office to organize technical training courses and attract investors to sign product purchasing agreements, creating stable market outlets for farmers."

$ 1 = VND 26,520 - Source: Vietcombank.