%%Xem Bình Thu?n%%*PHAN THIÚT FISH SAUCE Once upon a time, the production of fish sauce was mainly conducted in Duc Thang village, close to a river mouth and the fishing harbour Con Cha. The harbour was home to a fleet of trawlers and also provided shelter for passing merchant boats. The village was the centre of fish sauces with reputations that dated back to the 1920s, such as Hong Huong, Hong Xuyen, Hoang Hoa, Hoang Huong, and Mau Huong. To begin with, the potent sauce was made in leather jars and housed in small makeshift buildings. But over the course of time, these buildings became large storehouses and the leather jars were replaced with wooden casks. The casks had a combined capacity of between 6 to 10 tons of salted fish. At that time, villagers were salting several tons of fish per year, and their product was sold throughout the country by agents who would buy the sauce. One of the most famous places of sale was the market at Chuong Duong port in Sài Gòn (now Thành Ph? H? Chí Minh). A report from the French Resident Superior in Central Vietnam made exactly a century ago (March 1896) commented: "The production of fish sauce and fishing have returned to normal after T?t (Lunar New Year celebrations). The mouths of the Phan Rí, Phan Thi?t, Mui Né, Pho Hai and Lagi rivers are now jammed with boats, junks and ships coming to load up with fish sauce. It is said that in recent months, merchant ships of Mr. Gajine arrived here to buy a large quantity of fish sauce and fish paste from Phan Rí. It seems that he intends to establish a sea route for trading the fish sauce from Singapore, Sài Gòn to Phan Rí and Phan Rang." "The Chinese people not only like soya sauce, but also fish sauce and they have travelled here for the sauce. Many merchant ships from Bình Ð?nh and Phú Yên have arrived in Bình Thu?n port to take a large quantity of fish sauce to Nam K? (southern Vietnam), while Chinese traders from Guangdong and Hainan have also sent their merchant ships and junks here," the French Resident in Phan Thiet said in a report submitted to the French Resident Superior in Central Vietnam in January 1900. "The annual output of fish sauce has shown a remarkable increase: From 12 million litres in 1927 to 40 million litres in 1930. This speciality of Vietnam has also been exported. In 1942, 7,455,500 Francs worth of fish sauce products were exported." (from an economic report by the French Resident in Bình Thu?n stated in 1942). However, the period between 1958 -- 1975 witnessed the most dramatic growth in the production of fish sauce in Phan Thi?t. The sauce, which was formerly transported in large boats and junks, was now packed in various wooden drums and huge jars tightened with hoops. Each had an average capacity of 200 litres. During the American war, fish sauce was usually shipped by sea due to the interruption road and rail transport. Many ships and junks carrying fish sauce from Phan Thi?t anchored at the ports of Bung At, Quy Nhon and Ðà N?ng. In 1974, the quantity of exported fish sauce registered at the provincial tax office exceeded 32 million litres. Since the beginning of Ð?i M?i (renovation), the processing of the sauce has been further promoted in Phan Thi?t and Bình Thu?n provinces. The Phan Thi?t Fish Sauce Enterprise managed to raise its working capital from VND24 million in 1987 to some VND1.8 billion by the close of last year. Every year, the enterprise produces between 5 to 6 million litres of fish sauce which is sold on the spot at a cost of VND1,400 to 1,600 per litre. Each year, about 4,000 to 4,500 tons of fish are salted at the enterprise to meet the growing demand for domestic consumption and for the export market. Today, most of its products are sold in northern Vietnam. In August 1985, the enterprise began exporting to Japan. Thanh Hai has excelled as a focal point for the small-scale production of the sauce. Unlike sauce making in the Phan Thi?t Enterprise, which salts fish in large wooden drums -- each with a capacity of between 6 to 10 tons of fish each, villagers here process fish sauce in earthen jars. Each jar has a capacity of between 200 to 220 kilos of fish. Produced mostly from anchovy, fish sauce in Thanh Hai is very rich in protein and its fermenting period is less than with other fish, between 4-6 months as opposed to 6-9 months. But with every jar, a profit of VND200,000 can be made. (VNS)