Oyster Capital Van Don in Distress: Cheap Chinese Imports Flood the Market

Oyster Farmers Seek Help

Prior to Typhoon No. 3 (Yagi, September 2024), Van Don was considered the largest oyster farming area in Quang Ninh Province. This area had over 3,500 hectares of oyster farms, with an annual production of 70,000 tons. However, the typhoon caused devastating destruction, leaving oyster farmers in Van Don almost destitute.

With the support of the local government, oyster farmers began to rebuild their farms with loans from banks. The oyster farming areas in the sea were rejuvenated. Currently, the oysters in Van Don are ready for harvest, and farmers are hopeful for a bountiful season to make up for the losses incurred by Typhoon Yagi.

However, this year’s abundant rainfall and unfavorable weather conditions have led to a decrease in the oyster yield in Van Don. The scarcity of nutrients and plankton in the water has resulted in thinner oysters compared to previous years, and their market price has dropped.

“Oysters are thinner this year, so traders are offering lower prices, sometimes as low as 6,000 VND/kg for oysters with 8-10 pieces per kg,” shared Mr. Hung, an oyster farmer in Van Don. “However, even during lean years, prices have never been this low. The reason for the price drop is the competition from smuggled oysters from China, which are cheaper.”

According to Mr. Hung, the smuggled oysters from China are called “golden oysters” by traders. They are larger and fatter, with approximately 4 pieces per kg. These oysters are smuggled through unofficial channels and then mixed with local oysters, masquerading as Van Don oysters to fetch a higher price. However, the quality of these golden oysters is not as good as the renowned Van Don oysters.

Mr. Vu Van Tot, another oyster farmer near Phat Co area in Van Don, explained that traders are taking advantage of the current harvest season, when the supply of oysters is high. Additionally, oysters need to be harvested at the right time to ensure the best quality. If they are left in the water for too long, they will become older, shrink in size, and produce less milk, resulting in even greater losses for farmers.

With the current purchasing prices offered by traders, many oyster farmers in Van Don are facing significant losses, sometimes amounting to thousands of VND per kg of oysters. It is rare for a farmer to break even, let alone make a profit.

“We still have to pay the interest on our bank loans every month,” lamented Mr. Hung. “The typhoon took away all our capital, and the province has recently increased the rent for water surfaces. Oyster farmers like us are caught in a difficult situation.”

Cracking Down on Smuggled Oysters

The Van Don Special Administrative Unit has instructed relevant authorities to strengthen the management of business and trading activities related to seafood, especially oysters. The Market Management Team has been requested to enhance inspections and controls to promptly detect and handle violations regarding origin, intellectual property, and commercial fraud, including the smuggling of oysters.

Additionally, the Special Administrative Unit’s Public Service Management Board has been tasked with tightly controlling the transportation of seafood in and out of ports and docks. They are coordinating with relevant forces to supervise goods and vehicles in the managed areas. Their goal is to detect and prevent the smuggling and mixing of foreign oysters with Van Don oysters right from the entry points.

The Special Administrative Unit’s Police Force is employing operational measures, increasing patrols, and closely monitoring transportation routes and seafood gathering points to detect and handle illegal transportation activities promptly. The Agriculture and Environment Department is reviewing and proposing solutions for seafood management within their jurisdiction. They are also coordinating with authorized agencies to inspect and handle cases of smuggled and mixed “golden oysters” from China.

The Special Administrative Unit has also requested that representatives of villages and residential areas cooperate with authorities by providing timely information about facilities involved in the transportation and trading of smuggled oysters. This community surveillance is considered a crucial link in blocking the loophole from the transportation to the consumption stage.

In addition to the efforts of the functional forces, the Special Administrative Unit recommends that restaurants, eateries, wholesale markets, and distribution facilities only purchase and sell oysters with clear origins, meeting the requirements for preservation, veterinary hygiene, and food safety. They should refrain from facilitating the mixing and masquerading of smuggled oysters. If any irregularities are detected, they should immediately inform the local authorities for inspection and handling.

Previously, Tien Phong Newspaper published an article titled “Smuggled Oysters from China Invade Quang Ninh at Incredibly Low Prices,” exposing the reality of cheap smuggled oysters from China not only posing risks to food safety but also affecting local oyster farmers in Quang Ninh. Meanwhile, functional forces are working tirelessly to control the border and prevent the increasingly sophisticated issue of smuggling.