In 2006, Zhaoqing Sihui's fish farmer, Huang Hongyu, managed 50 mu of water and eight ponds, primarily raising the four major fish—especially grass carp—along with soft-shelled turtles. He invested 70,000 yuan in feed for grass carp. By mid-January 2007, he had already achieved an output value of 220,000 yuan, with about 100,000 yuan remaining after selling the fish. "The profit from just raising the four major fish is only around 2,000 yuan per mu," Huang said proudly. "But after introducing soft-shelled turtles into the mix, the income per mu increased by thousands, reaching up to 3,000 yuan."
Huang’s current farm is located at the Jiguangtang Prison Farm in the central area of Sihui. According to his account, he started renting a pond in 2004 and initially raised turtles. However, due to the low market price of turtles over the past few years, he suffered losses. In 2005, he began experimenting with polyculture of the four major fish and soft-shelled turtles. Over the past two years, he has seen good results. While chatting with reporters by the edge of the fish pond, Huang shared his experience.
Grass carp remains the main species. Huang explained that the density of soft-shelled turtles should not be too high—around 20-30 turtle fry per mu, with sizes ranging from 2 to 3. The cost of each turtle fry is about 4 to 6 yuan. Most of the income comes from grass carp, which can yield up to 1,000–1,200 pounds per mu. He also raises some carp and squid, implementing a round-catch rotation system, clearing the pond every two years. Because of the low density, the turtles grow to over 1.5 pounds within one year.
Polyculture with soft-shelled turtles doesn’t require additional feed, which helps reduce costs. Since the main species is grass carp, he only uses grass carp feed, while the turtles don’t eat anything. This makes the cost of raising turtles very low, even including seedling expenses. “Because the density is low, there are no diseases, no need for medicine, and the survival rate is very high,†Huang explained. This is the key to improving efficiency. Additionally, Huang has found ways to save money on grass carp farming. He plants ryegrass in the winter fields, providing a low-cost food source for the grass carp during the cold season.
“Grass carp only eat compound feed when there’s no ryegrass available, which saves a lot on feed costs,†Huang said. “In 2006, I used 70,000 yuan worth of compound feed and harvested 50,000 kilograms of grass carp. Even though the market was weak, I didn’t lose money, all thanks to the ryegrass.†He emphasized that planting more ryegrass is a practical and effective strategy for the future.
Another big advantage of polyculture is the high market price. Soft-shelled turtles raised in this way don’t consume any feed or medicine, making it an eco-friendly method. They have excellent quality and a good reputation in the local market, selling for as much as 50 yuan per catty. Although the price is high, they still attract both hotels and ordinary consumers. “They don’t buy in large quantities—they usually take tens of pounds at a time, but that’s enough to sell all the turtles from these ponds,†Huang said.
A single turtle sells for 70 yuan, and with 20 mu of ponds, the output value reaches 1,400 yuan, with a profit of around 1,000 yuan. Moreover, the price of grass carp is higher than average, especially for large-sized fish (up to 12 pounds per fish), which can fetch 4–4.5 yuan per kilogram in the local market. On average, it stays between 3.3–3.5 yuan per kilogram. Compared to the low cost of farming, the economic returns are significant.
“In fact, raising a small number of soft-shelled turtles in a fish pond won’t affect the growth of the fish,†Huang explained. “So the benefits of polyculture are almost pure profit.â€
From initial losses in pure turtle farming to successful polyculture, Huang has turned his model into a profitable one, boosting his confidence in this method. He believes that in today’s market, where the quality of aquatic products is increasingly important, polyculture not only improves product quality and meets consumer demand but also reduces breeding risks. It is indeed an effective way to boost economic efficiency.
Our reporter: Jin Chaojun
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