Ca Mau chose the shrimp symbol because this is a typical local aquatic species with great economic value, while experts say shrimp is also the strength of many Western provinces.
Recently, the People’s Committee of Ca Mau province decided to take the image of shrimp as the local symbol. The project will be made of reinforced concrete, ceramic cladding, located in Phan Ngoc Hien square (Ca Mau city). The square project has a total estimated investment of 236 billion VND. The Traffic Project Management Board was assigned to coordinate with Mr. To Minh Tan (author of the shrimp logo) to select the design and construction unit.
The Ca Mau shrimp symbol is expected to be built and located at Phan Ngoc Hien square, Ca Mau city. Image: To Minh Tan
Some people wonder whether it is appropriate for the locality to choose shrimp as the symbol instead of crab. Because the land of Ca Mau is often associated with crab specialties, especially crabs raised in Nam Can district, which are consumed throughout the country.
Mr. Tran Hieu Hung, Director of Ca Mau Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (the unit assigned to coordinate the selection of the symbol), said that the shrimp symbol was chosen because this aquatic species is characteristic, representative, and associated with the symbol. with locality. This also helps promote and introduce the province’s shrimp image to domestic and international tourists. Currently, Ca Mau exports over one billion USD every year.
In addition, according to Mr. Hung, in 2023 when organizing the shrimp festival, the province will organize a campaign to create a Ca Mau shrimp symbol. After that, the winning work is built as a model and placed in the square. The new shrimp logo will inherit the previous model, placed on the old background.
“The selection of shrimp aims to honor the farming profession and related services of the shrimp industry, which contribute greatly to the province’s economy; aiming at ecological and environmentally friendly shrimp production,” Mr. Hung explained.
Shrimp and crab are two main products of Ca Mau province. Image: Cheers Ly
Dr. Duong Van Ni, an expert on biodiversity in the Mekong Delta (of Can Tho University), said that choosing trees and animals as symbols for a province or land is a “quite sensitive” issue. . Selected plants and animals must be associated with the locality, becoming exclusive symbols. Therefore, the chosen symbol must meet three criteria: rarity, meaning it can only be found in that place; the second is the most numerous; Thirdly, it is associated with history, expressing local aspirations.
“Ca Mau chose the shrimp symbol because this is the product that brings the highest income to the province. This choice helps the locality have conditions to promote and promote the key product,” Dr. Ni said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tran Huu Hiep, Vice President of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, said that choosing and building the province’s symbol first needs to consider whether this investment is expensive or not. The story of spending billions of dong to make a controversial symbol cluster is not advisable, unless the business does it itself.
“We can take that money to invest in other things that are more practical for tourism or the economic strength of the province,” Mr. Hiep said, adding that who will confirm that it is a symbol of Ca Mau, because shrimp It is also a strength that brings high value to Soc Trang and Bac Lieu…
Ca Mau shrimp exports have reached over 1 billion USD for many consecutive years. Image: Cheers Ly
Ca Mau is the only province in the country that borders the sea on three sides, making it favorable for aquaculture development. The locality has the largest shrimp farming area in the country with nearly 280,000 hectares. The province’s shrimp industry has affirmed its position in the world market, exporting to more than 60 countries and territories. In 2023, the province’s shrimp export turnover will reach more than 1.2 billion USD.
With crab products, the province also has strengths when the total consumption value is over 10,000 billion VND each year, in many provinces and cities, but only exports through small quota to China. Ca Mau crab is known as the best type in the country because of its delicious meat due to living in clean, high-salinity seawater. At Ca Mau Cape National Tourist Area (Ngoc Hien district), 5 years ago, a crab model made of composite material (5 m long, 2.8 m wide, 1.72 m high) was built to attract tourists. However, this model is only at the scale of a tourist area, not a symbol of the province.
In addition to Ca Mau, some western provinces currently have symbolic works such as Bac Lieu with a pliers, An Giang with a basa fish monument…
Cheers Ly