Humble water caltrops, once shelled, have entered modern distribution channels, with their value increasing many times over that of the raw product.
In recent months, “Lấp Vò Water Caltrop Road”—the familiar name for the stretch of National Highway 80 through Vĩnh Lợi Hamlet, Vĩnh Thạnh Commune, Lấp Vò District, Đồng Tháp Province—has taken on a new look. Instead of shabby thatched stalls, sturdy iron-framed stalls with sheet-metal walls have appeared. Their eye-catching canopies, modeled after water caltrops, make an impression on travelers passing through.
According to local residents, this is an initiative of the Vĩnh Thạnh Commune People's Committee to improve the area's appearance and promote local specialties. The change partly stems from the success of teacher Nguyễn Anh Thy's fresh peeled water caltrop production project, which won first prize in the Đồng Tháp startup competition in 2017.
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Ms. Nguyễn Anh Thy won first prize in Đồng Tháp Province's 2017 startup project competition. Source: Provided by the subject. |
Born and raised in flood-prone Lấp Vò, Thy understood local farmers’ hardships from childhood. After graduation, she returned to teach at Đồng Tháp Sports Talent School, still nurturing a desire to increase the value of local agricultural products and help farmers earn more.
In 2012, Thy and a group of friends established Sen Ta Team, initially planning to sell lotus-related products. The Sen Ta facility in Đồng Tháp, managed by Thy and her husband, was specifically responsible for developing the raw-material area, working with farmers, preliminary processing, and shipping goods to Ho Chi Minh City. Their friends in Ho Chi Minh City handled distribution and product branding.
After 5 years of persistent work, the team’s products were available in most supermarket systems nationwide. Not content to stop there, the startup team planned to expand into another local agricultural specialty—water caltrops.
Water caltrop is easy to grow, requires little care and can be grown in three specialized crops or rotated with rice, so cultivation has expanded rapidly in Mekong Delta provinces. It is now widely grown in Đồng Tháp, Vĩnh Long, Kiên Giang, An Giang, Sóc Trăng and Hậu Giang,… But Lấp Vò District in Đồng Tháp is its capital. Long Hưng B and Vĩnh Thạnh communes alone have 190 ha under cultivation. However, purchase prices remain quite low, averaging VND 5,000-6,000 per kg and reaching only VND 10,000-12,000 per kg at their peak.
This is a clean, nutritious food. In areas where it is widely grown, people prepare many delicious dishes: water caltrop sweet soup, duck with water caltrops, roast pork with water caltrops, water caltrop and bone stew, battered fried water caltrops and pickled water caltrops… Yet most consumers only know the boiled version sold by the roadside as a rustic country snack.
For successful commercialization, processing needed to be easier because the shell was very hard and difficult to remove. Having identified that key issue, she began learning about water caltrop shelling, finding workers and researching preservation and packaging.
The work is difficult, so finding workers is difficult too. Apprentices need a full 2 months to reach an output of 5–7 kg per day, and even then they only shell large water caltrops. Small ones are dangerous to shell and can easily cause injury. ‘The hardest part is finding workers, because shelling water caltrops is uncommon. I needed referrals from many people to find suitable workers,’ she shared.
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Workers peeling fresh water caltrops. Source: Provided by the subject. |
Because she was unfamiliar with this crop's characteristics, many water caltrops initially broke apart or turned black and unattractive. Rather than sell products that did not meet quality standards, the young teacher used them to cook for her family and develop new dishes. Once shelled, the water caltrops are rinsed several times, broken pieces removed, air-dried, packaged, vacuum-sealed, and refrigerated, with a shelf life of 15-30 days depending on temperature.
In 8/2017, using existing distribution channels, Sen Ta introduced fresh peeled water caltrops into supermarkets such as Co.op Mart, AEON Mall, and Auchan, supplying only 1-2kg per store per day. Sales were very slow because few people knew the product, and the team sustained a total loss. As pioneers, she and the other founders attracted attention with eye-catching packaging featuring suggested water caltrop dishes and accompanying materials explaining uses and preparation methods.
In 2017, local officials encouraged her to enter Đồng Tháp Province’s startup competition. The project won first prize for its usefulness and use of local strengths. The competition also changed perceptions of water caltrops, notably leading to today’s “water caltrop street.” The team’s products consequently became better known and sold better.
After a period of perseverance, peeled water caltrops now have regular customers among homemakers seeking new dishes for their families. Some restaurants have also asked about bulk purchases. The workshop’s output has increased to 50 kg per day and remained there since before Tết.
Seeing substantial untapped market potential, her team decided to establish another company focused on developing water-caltrop products and attracting investment. In January 2018, Thy became director of the specialist company. In March 2018, fresh peeled water caltrops successfully entered the Vinmart system. The company plans to introduce more products, such as water-caltrop milk and snacks. These initiatives increase demand for fresh water caltrops and create a reliable outlet for growers.
“At first, I only wanted to increase the value of Đồng Tháp’s agricultural products. Thanks to the competition, more people learned about me and about water caltrops. I am also proud to have contributed something to my community,” Thy confided.
Collected.
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