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For every Ben Tre resident, giant freshwater prawn has become a value attached to daily life, and especially for those who are far away from home, braised giant freshwater prawn has become a dish containing many unforgettable memories. Because, for a long time, every New Year to spring is the time when farmers harvest the summer rice crop to coincide with the time when the giant freshwater shrimp matures. With the characteristics of growing in brackish and fresh water, near estuaries, or large river systems, the number of giant freshwater prawns in Ben Tre is higher and tastier than in other regions. After harvesting, the giant freshwater prawns are peeled, bricked, and processed into the famous braised giant freshwater prawn in the Mekong Delta and is a traditional dish on holidays, Tet, as well as in important events of the people of Ben Tre in particular and the people of the South in general. 

Ben Tre giant freshwater prawn has a cylindrical shape with a large head; a well-proportioned body head; the tail and the junction between the body segments are blue (shrimp living in the rice field environment) or brown (shrimp living in the coconut garden ditch); the part between the body segments is light brown, slightly transparent; The second pair of claws are blue, the end is orange or dark green. Live giant freshwater prawn bearing the geographical indication "Ben Tre" weights 40 grams, have a hard, firm, shiny shell, a natural fishy smell, no moss smell with a Ca content in the range of 345 - 761 mg/kg, Fat content in the range of 0.33 - 0.82% and Omega 3 content in the range of 39.4 - 93.9 mg/100g. When cooked, the shrimp is easy to peel, the surface of the meat after peeling is smooth, the meat is close to each other to form a unified body, and the shrimp head contains many orange-red bricks. Cooked giant freshwater prawns have a hard, firm, glossy shell, the flesh is orange-red, firm, crispy, and chewy, has a characteristic aroma, and sweet taste, and is fatty with a shell-to-flesh ratio of less than 34.5%. 

 

Figure 1. Giant freshwater prawns raised in rice fields 

 

Figure 2. Giant freshwater prawns raised in ditches in coconut gardens 

 

Figure 3. Giant freshwater prawn  after boiling and peeling 

The unique reputation and quality of Ben Tre giant freshwater shrimp are due to the natural conditions of the geographical area. Ben Tre giant freshwater prawns were reared in two environments: a rice field environment and a coconut garden ditch environment. In the coconut garden ditch, the environment is surrounded and covered by a system of coconut trees, so the light that is supplied to the pond is mostly scattered light. Cultivation water is circulated directly and continuously through a system of canals with large rivers, therefore, the water source for farming is always constant with the characteristic brown color of alluvial soil from the rivers, so the giant freshwater prawn in the ditches of the coconut garden is brown. For the rice field environment, due to the influence of the growth and development process, rice plants have absorbed a large amount of suspended silt in the water. Besides, the direct light source is absorbed more strongly due to the well-ventilated culture environment. Therefore, the watercolor in the rice field is more balanced and clear than in the ditch environment of the coconut garden, so the color of the giant freshwater shrimp raised in the rice field is blue. 

In addition, the flora and fauna in the water in the rivers of Ben Tre are rich and diverse. The amount of plankton present per liter of water is high: phytoplankton is about 29,950 - 674,670 individuals/liter, zooplankton is 885 - 8,662 individuals/m3 and benthic is 3.5 - 25.8 g/m2. The abundant source of plankton available in nature is an excellent natural food source, making it easy for both larvae and adult shrimp to use, therefore, the survival rate of giant freshwater shrimp in Ben Tre is always higher, and productivity, grade, and uniformity higher than that of giant freshwater shrimp in other regions. It is the abundant and nutritious natural food available in the country that makes the difference in the physicochemical composition of Ben Tre giant freshwater shrimp, with its high calcium, fat, and Omega 3 content. The water in the giant freshwater shrimp ponds in Ben Tre has alkalinity ranging from 80mg/l, and a pH ranging from 7 to 7.6. The waters of Ben Tre belong to the area of irregular semi-diurnal tides. Most days there are 2 times of high water, and 2 times low water. The difference between high tide and low tide on high tide days is from 2.5 to 3.5 m. The difference between the peak and the low tide on low tide days is less than or approximately 1m. The characteristic tidal regime facilitates that the shrimp pond water is always refreshed every 7-15 days, contributing to stabilizing water pH to help shrimps easily molt and grow quickly, supplementing natural phytoplankton as food for shrimp. 

In addition to the natural geographical conditions, local people's shrimp farming techniques also contribute to the characteristics and quality of Ben Tre giant freshwater shrimp. To produce giant freshwater shrimp, people in Ben Tre use two types of seed sources, which are 100% all-male and traditional (both male and female shrimp). In the case of using traditional seed, male and female shrimp will be separated after 75-90 days, helping to keep shrimp quality uniform. In addition, the stocking density of shrimp in Ben Tre is not more than 4 shrimp/m2, limiting the mortality rate and pollution of pond water. Shrimp ponds are also stocked with scrub (dry, deciduous, non-abrasive branches) that are planted in clusters to serve as shelters for shrimp. The feeding regime of shrimp in the geographical area is also very special. In addition to natural food sources, shrimp are also provided with additional food sources made from corn, rice, coconut, noodles, beans, trash fish, shrimp ... and industrially processed food with protein from 22%, helping Ben Tre giant freshwater prawn meat quality is firm, crispy, sweet, and fatty. Local people also apply the technique of breaking the claws of shrimp after stocking from 60 to 75 days to help shrimp grow and develop well, with a high survival rate (limiting cannibalism). The broken position is at the joint near the body, enabling the shrimp to drop its claws naturally. 

Geographical area: 

The communes of Tan Thanh Binh, Tan Phu Tay, Tan Thanh Tay, Thanh An, Hoa Loc, Thanh Tan, Phu My, Thanh Ngai, Phuoc My Trung, Hung Khanh Trung A, Tan Binh, Nhuan Phu Tan, Khanh Thanh Tan belong to the district. Bac Cay Mine; 

The communes of Dinh Thuy, An Thanh, Da Phuoc Hoi, Tan Hoi, Phuoc Hiep, Binh Khanh, An Dinh, Tan Trung, Minh Duc, An Thoi, Thanh Thoi A, Thanh Thoi B, Ngai Dang, Cam Son, Huong My, and Mo Cay town in Mo Cay Nam district; 

Dai Dien, Tan Phong, Thoi Thanh, Hoa Loi, My Hung, Binh Thanh, My An, An Thanh, An Thuan, An Qui, An Dien, An Nhon, Giao Thanh, Thanh Phong and Thanh Phu communes of the district Thanh Phu; 

The communes of Tan Hao, Phuoc Long, Luong Phu, Thuan Dien, Son Phu, Thanh Phu Dong, Chau Binh, Binh Hoa, Long My, My Thanh, Luong Hoa, Luong Quoi, Tan Loi Thanh in Giong Trom district; 

The communes of Long Dinh, Phu Thuan, Vang Quoi Tay, Vang Quoi Dong, and Dai Hoa Loc belong to Binh Dai district, Ben Tre province. 

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