After nearly 20 years, Nguyen Thi Bien from Hoang Thanh Commune, Hoang Hoa District, Thanh Hoa Province has risen from scraping by as a clam gatherer to a clam farming tycoon, cultivating more than 50 hectares.

From clam gathering to business savvy

In Hoang Thanh Commune, everyone knows “Bien the Clam Tycoon.” Known for her dedication to clam farming, Bien is the only representative from Thanh Hoa among the 63 exemplary Vietnamese farmers honored this year by the Vietnam Farmers’ Union in the “Proud Vietnamese Farmers” program.

Reflecting on her journey, Bien, born in 1973, shared that she grew up along the coast and relied on clam gathering to earn a living. It’s a job dictated by tides and seasons, which made it difficult to secure a stable income.

In 2000, a chance meeting with a Chinese trader at the market changed her course. Observing that local clam gatherers were struggling to sell their clams efficiently, Bien decided to start buying clams from her community and selling them wholesale.

"At first, I didn’t have the capital, so I bought clams on credit from the villagers and paid them after each sale. I saved the profits and eventually had enough to start my own business," Bien explained.

As the demand stabilized, wild clams became scarcer, and Bien would pedal her bicycle from village to village, and even to neighboring communes, to purchase clams before transporting them by boat to markets.

Seeing the natural clam supply dwindle, Bien explored other options. In 2006, she traveled to southern Vietnam to purchase clam seeds, starting with a 2-hectare farm. She later began selling clam seeds to other farmers, even guaranteeing them a market for their harvest.

As she expanded her clam farming operations, her family’s financial situation improved. Starting with just over 1 hectare, Bien eventually invested in and leased clam farming plots across other provinces, including Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, and Nghi Son in Thanh Hoa. She now manages more than 50 hectares of clam farms, producing both market-ready clams and clam seeds.

Bien noted that clam farming can be highly profitable when conditions are favorable. However, the business is risky, as pollution or storms can devastate an entire harvest. In 2017, for instance, she suffered nearly 6 billion VND in losses due to water pollution.

In addition to market clams, Bien’s family also supplies clam seeds to other farmers. Her operation provides over 1,000 hectares worth of seeds annually, yielding around 100,000 tons of clams each year. With an average price of 12,000 VND per kilogram, Bien’s business earns between several tens and hundreds of billions of VND annually.

In 2023, her clam business generated a record-breaking 150 billion VND in revenue, earning her the title of “Vietnam’s Highest-Earning Farmer” from the Vietnam Farmers’ Union.

Le Ba Hai, Chairman of the Hoang Hoa District Farmers' Association, noted that Bien has been a model farmer in the community for many years. Her clam farms provide regular employment for approximately 80 workers, with up to 120 people employed during peak seasons, mainly locals.

Le Duong