Starting with just VND40 million ($1,550), Nguyen Thanh Binh, 34, from Soc Trang Ward in Can Tho City, has successfully built a softshell turtle breeding model that now provides him with a stable income and recognition as one of the region’s standout young entrepreneurs.

After graduating from high school, Binh put aside his university ambitions to help his family run a local eatery. But with a strong desire to improve his income and build a future in his hometown, he began searching for a new direction.

During a visit to several agricultural models, he became fascinated by softshell turtle farming after realising the species matched both his passion for animal husbandry and the promise of strong economic returns with stable market demand.

With support from his family, Binh boldly invested VND40 million ($1,550) in 2019 to build four small cement tanks and purchase 20 young turtles for his first trial run.

“At the beginning, I was nervous and under a lot of pressure because I was afraid things wouldn’t work out,” Binh recalled. “I helped at the family restaurant during the day, then spent nights researching techniques online and learning from experienced farmers.”

Learning through failure and persistence

The biggest obstacle in the early days was fungal skin disease, a common problem among softshell turtles. Whenever disease broke out, Binh searched for information online while also seeking advice from veteran farmers.

Over time, he gradually developed his own method for treating and maintaining water quality, ensuring no leftover feed accumulated at the bottom of the tanks. That helped eliminate disease sources and improved the turtles’ growth conditions significantly.

Thanks to clean water and proper care techniques, his turtles grew quickly. By 2021, his first generation of breeding turtles had started laying eggs.

Softshell turtles begin reproducing at around two years old, with each clutch containing between 10 and 12 eggs. About three days after laying, Binh collects the eggs and transfers them into separate sand incubation tanks to improve hatch rates. The hatchlings can be sold after just over one month of rearing.

To maximise space, Binh personally designed a structured farming system. Breeding tanks measure around 7 square metres and house five adult turtles each, while nursery tanks cover about 24 square metres with stocking densities of 50 to 60 young turtles.

Today, the breeding turtles he has raised weigh between 15kg and 20kg each.

Turning a farm into a tourism model

Binh’s business now enjoys relatively stable market demand thanks to a diversified approach. Every year, he supplies around 400 to 500 young turtles to the market.

Young turtles are sold at prices ranging from VND280,000 to VND320,000 ($11-13) each, or VND350,000 ($14) for long-distance deliveries. Commercial meat turtles are supplied to markets at prices between VND450,000 and VND500,000 ($18-20) per kilogram.

Taking advantage of his family’s restaurant business, Binh has also combined the farm with tourism services. Visitors can tour the farm, enjoy meals, purchase turtles as pets or breeding stock, and even sample dishes made from softshell turtles directly at the restaurant.

He is currently selecting and retaining younger turtles to develop the next generation of breeding stock, ensuring long-term sustainability and increased productivity for the farm.

Binh’s turtle farming facility has been officially licensed by the Forest Protection Department. Thanks to the creativity and effectiveness of his startup model, he was honoured by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in 2025 as one of the country’s outstanding young entrepreneurs from ethnic minority and mountainous communities.

Hoai Thanh