After years having traded in building materials, Tran Huu Tung, a resident in Quang Phuc, Cam Thanh Nam, Cam Ranh still suffered from financial problems...
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| His family’s living standard has much improved thanks to porcupine-breeding. |
Tran Huu Tung said, “We are both teachers. Although we worked hard all day, busy with teaching at school and trading at home, we could not cover increasing expenses. One day, I watched an agricultural program on raising porcupines on VTV2 channel. I decided to give it a try. My family made a 20-day survey trip to many porcupine farms in Dac Lac, Dac Nong, Binh Phuoc, Ho Chi Minh City, etc to learn experience.”
“I have learnt a lot both from books and from experience from other farmers,” he confirmed. Porcupines eat leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover and in the winter they may eat bark. Farmers do not have to spend much money on feeding them. It is essential to keep 1 male and 2 females in a colony.
With an initial capital of VND60 million, after 4 years, he has raised and then sold many porcupines. At present, he has 35 female and 18 male porcupines. 37 couples of porcupines are produced a year on average. The porcupines are being kept for commercial breeding purposes.
A couple of 2-month porcupines costs VND14 million, so he earns VND400 million a year. According to Tung, porcupine farming is very profitable, at VND400,000-500,000/kg. With an average weight-gaining rate of 12kg/year, the commercial farming of porcupines can get a clear VND4 million profit/porcupine.
According to Tung, porcupine-breeding is promising. It does not require a large farm and great care. Besides, it can bring a high income and help conserve the wildlife populations as well.
N.T
