As the Lunar New Year, or Tet, is three weeks away, residents of Phu Quoc Island off the coast of Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam are busy preparing dried fish and shrimp to meet soaring demand.

Every day, locals flock to fishing ports to purchase fresh seafood, which is then dried for sale.

Trinh Van Dien, a resident of Bai Thom Commune with three decades of experience in dried shrimp production, says Phu Quoc shrimp is prized for its small size, sweetness, and rich flavor.

Dien sources fresh shrimp directly from local fishermen.

“The dried shrimp market looks promising this year,” Dien shared. “I process about two metric tons of fresh shrimp daily, drying them within the day before shipping to customers.”

Dien offers four varieties of dried shrimp, with Tet prices ranging from VND350,000 (US$13.8) to VND550,000 ($21.7) per kilogram, an increase of VND20,000-30,000 ($0.8-1.2) compared to regular days.

Nguyen Thi Minh, a resident of Bai Thom Commune, said that she specializes in drying fish such as barracuda, goatfish, and yellowstripe scad for sale.

Minh emphasized that her products are clean and safe, and she only processes fish upon receiving orders.

At local facilities, workers are working at full speed to ensure timely delivery of dried fish and shrimp to customers ahead of the Tet holiday.

Nguyen Thi Nhan, another local resident, said she found seasonal work at a shrimp drying facility, earning VND300,000 ($11.8) per day.

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