Protecting the "Son La Honey" trademark.

With over 85,000 hectares of fruit trees, 20,000 hectares of coffee, 6,000 hectares of rubber, and over 600,000 hectares of natural forest, Son La possesses abundant raw materials for developing beekeeping. Each year, Son La supplies the market with 1,200-1,500 tons of high-quality honey, many products meeting OCOP standards and effectively utilizing the collective trademark "Son La Honey".

Honey from Quynh Nhai commune is introduced and promoted at trade fairs.

Taking advantage of existing resources, beekeeping for honey production has continuously developed in both quantity and quality. The province currently has 48 branches and 8 beekeeping cooperatives with nearly 2,400 members; maintaining 85,700 bee colonies, with annual production reaching 3,200-3,500 tons of honey, 200-300 tons of pollen, and 250-300 tons of beeswax; annual revenue from beekeeping fluctuates between 230-250 billion VND... Beekeeping contributes positively to the overall economic development of the locality.

In Binh Thuan commune, beekeeping has been developing since 1996. In 2018, Phong Lai Beekeeping Cooperative was established, linking beekeeping households and gradually becoming a leading beekeeping cooperative in Son La province. Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Director of the Cooperative, informed: The cooperative currently has 5 members, maintaining over 1,000 bee colonies. We constantly learn techniques from other places to develop clean, high-quality products. The cooperative's honey products received VietGAP certification in 2019 and achieved OCOP 4-star standard in 2022, and have been granted the right to use the collective trademark "Son La Honey" from 2020 to the present.

In recent years, beekeeping households have shifted from traditional methods to applying advanced techniques such as beehive farming, seasonal management, and flexible relocation of bee colonies to different flowering areas (longan, coffee, forest flowers, etc.) to optimize food sources, improve productivity, and enhance product quality. Members proactively use natural herbs for disease control, ensuring safe honey products free from chemical residues. Techniques for breeding queen bees are also applied, creating healthy, high-yielding colonies. Many beekeeping households also equip themselves with humidity meters to harvest honey at the right time and attach labels, QR codes, and traceability information to their products.

The General Science Association visited a honey bee farming model in Thuan Chau commune.

Mr. Truong Van Khang, Head of the Beekeeping Association in Na Ha 2 village, Chieng Mung commune, said: The association currently has 12 members, maintaining more than 3,000 colonies of foreign bees, selling 150 tons of honey, 9 tons of pollen, and 10 tons of beeswax annually. Average income reaches 200-300 million VND per household per year, with some households earning 500 million VND per year. During the honey harvesting season, beekeeping households often move their colonies to areas with abundant flower sources such as Song Ma, Mai Son, and even to many places in Phu Tho province. Some households even move their colonies to Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces to avoid the cold and find more abundant food sources.

To protect the collective trademark "Son La Honey," immediately after the restructuring and merger, the General Science Association strengthened linkages among its member associations, regularly organizing inspections to combat counterfeit and substandard goods, protecting consumers and brand reputation. Products bearing the collective trademark and QR code always have high credibility, are easily sold, and command prices 20-30% higher than similar products.

Mr. Bui Minh Son, Chairman of the General Science Association, said: In the coming time, the Association will continue to widely disseminate the management, granting, and use of the collective trademark "Son La Honey" to potential areas in Moc Chau, Song Ma, and Mai Son; promote support for members to apply new techniques, produce in a chain, improve productivity and product quality according to standards to meet domestic market demands and aim for export. At the same time, the Association will accompany and strengthen trade promotion, seek new markets, and create conditions for members to participate in introducing products at trade fairs inside and outside the province.

From a spontaneous, small-scale farming model, beekeeping has become a profession that generates significant income, contributing to poverty reduction and legitimate wealth creation for the people. By maintaining and protecting the collective trademark, Son La honey will continue to build a good reputation and trust with customers, bringing this beneficial product further, helping beekeepers have an effective and sustainable livelihood.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/bao-ve-nhan-hieu-mat-ong-son-la-EDGLLsGvg.html