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Bats deliver returns to Tien Giang

TIEN GIANG — Farmers in Tien Giang Province’s Tan Phuoc commune, about 70km southwest of HCM City, have discovered a new source of wealth - guano, otherwise known as bat excrement.

The commune used to subsist on rice and pineapples, but they found guano, a useful manure, to be much more lucrative. With 20 wobbly tents, Tan Phuoc is now the year-round home to thousands of bats.

Nguyen Anh Vu, 30, who owns two of these tents, said he could collect from 50 to 60 kg of guano a night, which would earn him nearly VND100,000 on the market.

"On average, I can earn VND1.5 million per month from selling guano which is much higher than what I could make farming rice or pineapples on this land," he said. "Guano has a high price because it is protein-rich. It peaks gardeners’ interest."

Vu said he spent nearly VND5.6 million to build a 10m high tent with a palmyra leaf roof.

"To entice a flock to stay at the tent, we first seize some bats and then keep them in cages hung at the top of the tower roof. It is important to frequently clean the tents by changing the palmyra leaves," he said.

He also said bat tents should be near rivers, avoid direct sunshine and be protected against snakes and other natural predators. — VNS