CHARACTERISTICS OF DUCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN RED RIVER AND MEKONG RIVER DELTAS

In Vietnam, the economic growth in recent years has brought a strong demand for animal products consumption, particularly poultry meat. This research aims to better understand how the factors in the duck sector adapt to current economic conditions in Red River Delta and Mekong Delta by analyzing livestock farming systems with their various constraints. The research had been conducted by interviewing and production record keeping system at the household farms which have duck production at different scales in Hanoi Suburbs in Red River Delta from December 2008 to November 2009 and Long An Province in Mekong Delta from March to August, 2007. Three duck production systems have been identified (1) industrial duck production system with high-yield potential imported races; (2) transhumant duck production system at semi-industrial scale with local or cross-bred ducks. Broiler or layer ducks are freely grazed or transhumant on rice fields for taking the residual paddy; and (3) duck production system at small scale or backyard production. Broiler duck farms have obtained weak productivity with high mortality rate. The net income has varied from 7,358,000 to 10,151,000 Vietnam Dongs per farm per year with broiler ducks and reproductive ducks at semi-industrial and industrial systems. Backyard duck farms are widely practiced in household farms with low investment. The net income of duck production is also weak in households (728,000 Vietnam Dongs per farm per year with broiler ducks and 1,368,000 Vietnam Dongs with layer ducks. Majority surveyed farms raised various species of chickens and ducks. Duck meat production also aims to satisfy a significant share of the demand for self-consumption with ducks in small households.