Tra Vinh

Tra Vinh exists because the Mekong's southeastern distributaries created coastal wetlands where Khmer communities developed shrimp-mangrove farming systems that now generate 49% of provincial agricultural production value—VND 7,476 billion in 2024. With 31% Khmer population (62% in Tra Cu district), this 2,292 km² province demonstrates how ethnic agricultural traditions can anchor commercial aquaculture.

The formation story is Khmer settlement meeting deltaic ecology. The name derives from Khmer ខេត្តព្រែកត្រាង, reflecting the community that predates Vietnamese expansion. Today 166,000 hectares of extensive shrimp farming engage 83,807 households, producing 58,128 tonnes of black tiger shrimp (353 kg/ha/year) plus 18,109 tonnes of other species. The shrimp industry's dominance—nearly half of agricultural value—makes Tra Vinh a aquaculture-dependent economy.

The sustainable model is shrimp-mangrove integration. Over 4,000 hectares of mangrove forest host shrimp cultivation, combining protein production with carbon sequestration and coastal protection. The province maintains 9,000 hectares of forest (3.63% coverage), mostly mangroves planted by households who breed shrimp beneath the canopy.

Challenges are structural: language barriers prevent Khmer farmers from accessing Vietnamese-language technical assistance. Climate change accelerates saltwater intrusion. The delta itself sinks from groundwater extraction.

On July 1, 2025, Tra Vinh merged with Ben Tre and Vinh Long to form a new "Vinh Long" province—4.2 million people across 6,296 km². Whether Khmer shrimp-farming traditions survive administrative consolidation, and whether ethnic minority development programs continue under unified management, will test whether merger serves integration or assimilation.