According to the provincial People’s Committee Chairman Pham Van Thieu, the salt-making craft has been practiced in Bac Lieu since the early 20th century and has been preserved through many generations.
The three-day festival includes diverse cultural and arts programmes, exhibitions, forums and seminars, focusing on production, business and entrepreneurship within the salt industry.
The event aims to honour, preserve, and develop the salt industry, thus raising the value of Vietnamese salt production overall, especially that of Bac Lieu, which is dubbed as the "salt capital" of Vietnam.
It is also a platform for exchanging experiences and knowledge in the production, processing and trading of salt products and other local speciality products of Bac Lieu Province.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasised that salt is not only an essential product in daily life but also a cultural heritage, playing a crucial role in the economy and many other fields.
A small grain of salt carries the story of human history, nature, and the ups and downs throughout the development journey of the salt-making profession, he stated.
He noted that the development of Vietnam's salt industry has faced numerous challenges, pointing out that although Vietnam has great potential for salt production, it still has to import salt every year.
Therefore, he expressed his hope that the Vietnam Salt Craft Festival will pave the way for further breakthroughs in the salt industry for better livelihoods of salt farmers.
