Snakes for sale at Vinh Hoi Dong market
In the last month villagers in several districts in An Giang and Dong Thap Provinces as well as in communes along the Tien and Hau Rivers are busily earning a living by catching snakes, crabs, eels and frogs from their flooded fields.
People in An Giang have used the captured wildlife as ingredients in special local dishes.
Khanh Binh snake market, An Giang Province
Khanh An snake market
Vo Minh Tam, a veteran trader at Vinh Hoi Dong market in An Giang Province, said he buys from 20 to 30 kilos of snakes a day for between VND50,000 (USD2.19) and VND100,000 (USD4.43) per kilo. He easily sells this amount on a daily basis thanks to his cheap prices.
Floods mean a good snake harvest
Weighing snakes at Cay Mit market
Other markets like Khanh An and Khanh Binh in An Phu District of An Giang Province, and An Phu and Cay Mit in Tinh Bien District are famous venues for several kinds of snakes and tortoises.
Several other markets in Chau Doc District sell dry snakes as gifts for tourists.