"Cherishing" the sweet nectar amidst the mangrove forests of Hai Phong.

As a coastal locality with a relatively large area of ​​mangrove forests in Kien Thuy district (Hai Phong city), in recent years, the people of Dai Hop commune have actively transformed their model, taking advantage of natural resources to develop beekeeping, enriching their homeland.

Mr. Dang Thanh Tung, Director of Tung Hang Honey Cooperative, is the initiator of the cooperative model that helps promote and develop beekeeping in the local area.

Prospering thanks to honeybees.

Busy packing honey for customers, Mr. Dang Thanh Tung (Director of Tung Hang Honey Cooperative) excitedly told us: "Customers who have tried mangrove flower honey find it hard to complain. A supermarket in Hanoi just ordered 500 bottles of honey from me, and I still can't keep up with the demand." Explaining the "special" quality and constant high demand of mangrove flower honey, Mr. Tung began to tell us about the journey of beekeeping and how beekeeping has transformed the lives of countless poor people in the coastal region.

In 1997, Dai Hop commune was one of the localities funded by Japan to implement the "Mangrove Reforestation for Disaster Risk Reduction" project, covering a total area of ​​over 650 hectares. After three years, the mangrove forest, with its various species of Avicennia, Rhizophora, Sonneratia, and Bruguiera trees, began to flourish. Some beekeepers from other provinces and cities moved their bee colonies here to collect nectar. Recognizing the economic potential of beekeeping and the natural strengths of the locality, several households boldly invested, switching from fishing and aquaculture to beekeeping in the mangrove forest.

The bee species chosen by the locals is a native Asian bee species. Although small in size, it produces high-quality, fragrant honey, is robust, resistant to disease, and adapts well to the local weather and environment, without needing to migrate to specific flower zones. During the rearing process, the locals don't spend much time caring for the bees; they are allowed to grow and develop naturally. With favorable natural conditions and abundant flowers, the bees thrive. It is this bee species that produces the rich, thick honey that has made mangrove forest honey famous.

According to Mr. Tung, unlike other beekeeping areas where longan, lychee, or apple blossoms only bloom for 1-2 months before beekeepers have to move their colonies to another area, the mangrove forest here blooms for up to 9 months a year. Therefore, the natural food source for bees is always abundant. Only during the middle of the year, in August and September, does the amount of flowers in the mangrove forest decrease, forcing people to move their bee colonies to the neighboring area of ​​Bang La ward (Do Son district), where hundreds of hectares of apple trees are in bloom, so the bees can collect nectar.

Mr. Dang Thanh Tung received the Certificate of Artisan of Traditional Craft Villages in Hai Phong in 2021.

Currently, the Tung Hang Honey Cooperative has over 1,000 bee colonies, with an average annual production of 12 liters per colony. The cooperative's annual production is steadily increasing, averaging 8-9 thousand liters, sold at 300,000 VND/liter, generating a profit of 700 million VND per year. The main markets for mangrove forest honey are in northern and central provinces and cities such as Hai Phong, Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An. Many households have become prosperous thanks to beekeeping.

According to Mr. Tung, the price is not cheap, but it matches the quality. “Unlike other types of honey, mangrove forest flower honey is considered ‘clean’ because mangrove forests are a natural environment, free from pesticide residues and chemical fertilizers, thus ensuring safety. The honey is fragrant, thick, rich in minerals, and has a mild sweetness, not an overpowering one. This is also why the cooperative’s mangrove forest flower honey is always in high demand; everything produced is sold out immediately,” Mr. Tung explained.

Thanks to its inherent natural advantages, mangrove forest honey is considered a rare specialty. With its superior quality and high consumer ratings, in 2023, the mangrove forest honey product of Tung Hang Honey Cooperative was certified as a 4-star OCOP product, proudly becoming a representative product of Kien Thuy district and representing Dai Hop commune in the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program.

Promoting the development of product quality and brand.

Regularly using natural products to care for her family's health, Ms. Hoang Ngoc Khanh (Ngo Quyen district, Hai Phong city) couldn't ignore the product dubbed "a gift from nature".

Ms. Khanh shared: “Honey has many uses such as antioxidants, anti-diabetic properties, and contains nutrients that are beneficial to health. Since learning about mangrove forest flower honey, my family has completely switched to using this type of honey because of its delicious taste and guaranteed cleanliness, so I feel very reassured.”

To develop the honey brand to its current state, it's impossible not to mention the establishment of the cooperative, which created a major turning point for beekeeping in the Dai Hop coastal area. Mr. Tung recalled that, to expand production, in 2010, several households joined forces to form a beekeeping cooperative, bringing together people who wanted to develop their economy through this profession. However, it wasn't effective because of difficulties in sales and a lack of awareness, even though the quality was no less than other types of honey.

Concerned about finding a market for his products, Mr. Tung began his research. In May 2020, the Tung Hang Honey Cooperative was officially established under the 2012 Cooperative Law, opening a new direction for beekeeping. With 7 members and nearly 30 beekeeping households, the cooperative operates on a production and product distribution model. Since the establishment of the cooperative, mangrove forest honey has become widely known. The cooperative has signed product distribution contracts with supermarkets, Hai Phong post offices, online marketplaces like Potmart, Sale 168, etc., to ensure a stable market for its farmers.

To overcome the problem of high water content leading to diluted honey, the cooperative is applying a honey hydrolysis dehydration system. Thanks to the application of modern technology, the cooperative's honey, after harvesting, is pressed to remove water, ensuring that the water content in the honey is below 23%, in accordance with Vietnamese honey standards. As a result, the honey does not turn sour when stored for a long time, ensuring better quality.

Tung Hang Cooperative's mangrove flower honey product has been awarded a 4-star OCOP rating and is considered a specialty due to its delicious taste and high nutritional value.

Since being recognized as an OCOP product, with labels, food safety certifications, and clear origins, the value of the product has increased significantly. Mangrove forest honey is gradually asserting its position and reputation in the market, directly competing with many other famous honey brands. The cooperative has been and continues to promote the application of scientific and technological advancements in production to create high productivity in beekeeping under the mangrove forest canopy. The Hai Phong Agricultural Extension Center also regularly organizes training courses and shares beekeeping experiences so that people can apply and implement many new methods, while creating conditions for people to access modern technology, contributing to improving honey quality year after year.

"Thanks to mangrove forests, countless people have a livelihood. They not only create abundant fishing resources, help block waves, protect dikes and villages, but also provide flowers for honey production. The economic value of the forest is immense, so the people and local authorities are always conscious of protecting the forest, as if protecting their own property," Mr. Tung shared.

Despite its high effectiveness, the cooperative's mangrove honey production is still facing certain difficulties and obstacles. During a meeting with the Hai Phong City National Assembly delegation on December 28, 2023, regarding the implementation of policies and laws on the OCOP program for the period 2022-2025, the cooperative submitted several proposals to the city's National Assembly representatives concerning product protection, land allocation for the cooperative's headquarters, mechanisms for protecting mangrove forests, support for business management and administration, trade promotion, product introduction, and the potential for exporting mangrove honey to regional and international markets.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/chat-chiu-mat-ngot-giua-rung-ngap-man-post804465.html