Thanh Hoa agricultural market in Long An Province’s Thanh Hoa District serves as a distribution hub for agricultural products characteristic of the Dong Thap Muoi region. However, the market's true specialty is not agricultural goods but rather wild birds. Numerous kiosks openly sell various bird species, including storks and other animals, some of which are rare and protected.
Biodiversity trade is demonstrably prevalent at the central area of the market, where a multitude of adjacent kiosks offer a wide range of wild avian and terrestrial species, including egrets, doves, magpies, jays, pelicans, storks, herons, lesser whistling ducks, guinea fowl, various stork species, snakes, turtles, and rodents. Every day, many consumers drive their vehicles to this market to buy wild animals.
The market attracts customers, mainly from other provinces and cities, who come to purchase specialty birds. The most sought-after species include the cuckoo, egret, stork and red-tailed pheasant. After negotiating the price, the sellers place the birds in bags, weigh them, and then swiftly kill them by smashing their heads. Some birds are then submerged in boiling water to remove the feathers, and their stomachs are cut open.
A man from Tay Ninh shared that for fresh, high-quality bird meat, he must travel a considerable distance to this market, purchase in bulk, and store it in his refrigerator. He noted that the market is well known for offering a wide variety of wild-caught birds, prized for their firm texture and naturally sweet flavor. Additionally, customers can buy live snakes, turtles, and squirrels, which can be butchered on request.
Occasionally, a passenger bus carrying a net bag of birds stops near the market and discreetly drops the bag in the middle of the road. A kiosk owner then emerges, retrieves the bag, and transfers the birds into cages for sale. According to one bird seller, these birds are sourced from hunting centers in the Mekong Delta provinces. Once captured, they are transported by passenger bus to the market for distribution. If a bird does not survive the journey, it is plucked, placed on ice, and still sent for sale.
Thanh Hoa agricultural market experiences a high volume of vehicular traffic, primarily associated with the procurement of wild avian species for consumption. Avian plumage and debris are dispersed throughout the market, contributing to airborne particulates. Some vendors employ forced air dispersal methods, exacerbating the spread of debris onto adjacent thoroughfares, resulting in unsanitary conditions. The market's ambient air quality is further compromised by the presence of noxious odors emanating from animal excreta and wastewater utilized in the processing of avian carcasses, potentially posing a public health risk.
An official of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa District said that the local administration has directed specialized agencies to strengthen inspection and strictly handle violations when they are detected. From 2018 to now, nearly 50 violations were detected and those breaching the regulations were fined.
Every year, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa District establishes an interdisciplinary inspection team to coordinate with local authorities to patrol and control the trading of wild animals in the management list twice a week. At the same time, it encouraged business households at agricultural markets to sign a commitment not to buy or sell wild animals and wild birds and migratory birds illegally.
