After several days of prolonged heat, unseasonal rains have appeared in An Giang Province, causing sudden changes in water conditions. Farmers in the buffer zone of U Minh Thuong have therefore taken urgent measures to protect their giant freshwater prawn farms from temperature shock.

On the afternoon of March 5, according to field observations by Tuổi Trẻ Online, several unseasonal rain showers occurred in the buffer zone of U Minh Thuong Commune in An Giang Province, an area considered a major hub for giant freshwater prawn farming integrated with rice fields and pond systems.

Some households had already harvested their prawns during the Lunar New Year and were preparing ponds for the next farming cycle. Those who had not yet completed harvesting quickly prepared lime to treat pond water and reduce acidity levels in order to prevent prawns from experiencing temperature shock and to minimize losses.

With more than 20 years of experience farming giant freshwater prawns in rice fields, Luu Hong Tuoi, a resident of Cong Su Hamlet in U Minh Thuong Commune, said that his family previously relied mainly on cultivating green-skin pomelo and bananas on more than one hectare of land, which was not sufficient to support household income.

He later shifted to farming giant freshwater prawns in rice fields but initially experienced several failures.

“At the beginning, I lacked experience. When heavy rain suddenly followed hot weather, the prawns suffered temperature shock, crawled onto the banks, stopped feeding, and died. Sometimes I lost the entire crop. Over time I gradually learned and adapted my farming practices to prevent temperature shock,” Tuoi explained.

During the Lunar New Year of 2026, his family harvested around 800 kilograms of commercial giant freshwater prawns, which were sold at VND 120,000 per kilogram. At this price level, the income from prawn farming has provided stable livelihoods for the family.

Recently, he stocked a new batch of prawns but encountered unseasonal rainfall shortly afterward. However, based on accumulated experience, he applied lime treatment to stabilize pond water, reduce acidity, and ensure sufficient oxygen levels so that the prawns remain healthy and avoid mortality.

Nguyen Van Tung, another prawn farmer in Cong Su Hamlet, said his family operates more than one hectare of prawn ponds, with the current stock having been cultured for about three months.

“In recent days there has been frequent unseasonal rain, which raises concerns about water acidity and oxygen depletion. I regularly apply lime and necessary treatment chemicals directly to the ponds. In addition, I maintain a proper feeding regime using mixed feeds such as small fish and ripe bananas to keep the prawns healthy and maintain productivity,” Tung said.

According to the People’s Committee of U Minh Thuong Commune, the local rice–prawn farming area covers approximately 4,698 hectares. In February 2026 alone, farmers in the U Minh Thuong buffer zone harvested about 120 hectares of giant freshwater prawns, producing roughly 72 tons of commercial prawns.

Local authorities have advised farmers to closely monitor weather conditions, particularly unseasonal rains, and to promptly treat pond water to maintain oxygen levels. Households preparing for new stocking cycles are encouraged to properly prepare ponds, select high-quality seed stock, and follow recommended farming calendars to reduce risks, improve productivity, and stabilize household incomes.

Source: Bao Tuoi tre