Research on World Agricultural Economy

The trade and slaughter of livestock remain informal economic activities in Vietnam, as is the case with many countries in the region. This sector has primarily attracted the attention of international organizations concerned with livestock and health; studies from a cultural and social perspective are rare. This article aims to understand the dynamics of the livestock trade and slaughter sector in Vietnam by examining the practices of three well-known traditional cattle- and buffalo-slaughtering villages in the Northern Delta. It clarifies why private cattle slaughterhouses in craft villages dominate the beef market in the entire region and why the State has not yet achieved the goal of building centralized industrial slaughterhouses. Results indicate that, with their own ways of knowing and learning, the organization of production and coordinating institutions within the craft village, craft villagers are very proactive in finding input sources, reducing production costs, and meeting the needs of the majority of consumers. In the context of Vietnam, which does not yet have a closed livestock and slaughter chain, it is necessary to build centralized slaughterhouses for craft villages to better manage food safety and the environment. However, to achieve this goal, the State must develop investment policies, support projects to reduce industrial slaughter costs, and implement strict new management mechanisms for livestock trading and slaughtering processes nationwide.