Gio Linh District in Quang Tri Province, central Vietnam is home to about 60 fish steaming workshops located mainly in Gio Viet Commune and Cua Viet Town.
Each year, they produce over 15 metric tons of steamed fish mainly for the Chinese market.
As the previous lunar year concluded and the province entered its hot season, residents in Gio Linh District are currently more occupied than ever with various production activities.
Observing the workshop owned by Pham Thi Van in Gio Viet Commune, one can witness dozens of workers diligently laboring from early morning, making the most of the sunny weather.
At the workshop, anchovies and mackerel scads are steamed before being dried under the sun.
The workers' responsibilities include tasks such as washing the fish, transporting them to the steamer, and facilitating the drying process, with the most challenging step of fish steaming earning the highest compensation.
Van's workshop has created stable jobs for about 20 people, bringing an average income of VND300,000 a day. (US$1 = VND24,642)
According to Le Anh Hung, chairman of the Gio Viet People's Committee, the commune has nearly 40 fish steaming workshops, producing around 10,000 metric tons of finished products.
Meanwhile in Cua Viet Town, the fish steaming and drying industry turns out more than 5,000 metric tons of products annually, creating jobs for hundreds of workers.
The fish steaming sector originated in Gio Linh District approximately ten years ago and has been progressively expanding in response to growing market demand.
Currently, thanks to the application of technology, many workshops can operate even in winter.
[Video by Hoang Tao / Tuoi Tre]
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