BẠC LIÊU – The first festival celebrating Vietnamese salt production kicked off in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bạc Liêu last night.

The Vietnamese Salt Craft Festival – Bạc Liêu 2025: 100-Year Journey of Salt is co-organised by the provincial People’s Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to honour, preserve and develop the salt industry, raising the value of Vietnamese salt production overall, and particularly Bạc Liêu salt.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà emphasized that salt was not only an essential product for daily life but also a cultural heritage, playing an important role in the economy and other fields.

Việt Nam has advantages in salt production and processing, including a 3,200km coastline and favourable natural conditions. The country has 21 salt-producing provinces and cities, nearly 11,400 hectares of salt fields, and an average output of 1 million tonnes per year. Some localities have geographical indication certificates and export to foreign markets. 

Hà pointed out that the development of the domestic salt industry has faced many challenges, including low-skilled workers, degraded infrastructure, scattered production, limited technology, low competitiveness, weak supply chain links, and low brand identity in domestic and international markets.

He asked ministries, departments and agencies, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and coastal localities with salt production, to provide more support for salt production and salt-related products, contributing to developing the marine economy and meeting the needs of society and exports.

He suggested policies to give financial and technical support to salt farmers, connect them with scientists and businesses, and improve training for salt workers and manufacturers in applying new technologies to approach international markets.

The Deputy PM mentioned the necessity of developing new agricultural tourism products related to the salt craft and building more tours to improve incomes for salt farmers.

With its theme “Enhancing the Value of Vietnamese Salt in Bạc Liêu Province”, the festival includes different cultural and arts programmes featuring performers from art troupes of Bạc Liêu and other provinces in the region, and activities to promote the production, processing and trading of salt products.

A trade fair consisting of 200 stalls is set up at the Hùng Vương Square in Bạc Liêu City to introduce salt products and OCOP (one commune one product) products from local enterprises, salt production equipment and technology, and tourism products.

The fair includes forums and seminars on production, business and entrepreneurship within the salt industry.

A photo exhibition highlighting Bạc Liêu’s history, culture, heritage, people, and salt industry is open to the public at the event.

Bạc Liêu is one of the country’s largest salt-producing provinces. It has nearly 1,500ha of salt fields, with Đông Hải District alone accounting for around 1,300ha, and salt output of 76,000 tonnes in 2024.

The salt-making craft in Bạc Liêu has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Bạc Liêu salt has received a geographical indication certificate from the National Office of Intellectual Property.

The festival remains open until March 8. – VNS