Beekeeping model in Xuan Du commune.
Beekeeping doesn't require a large area of land but yields high economic returns. From a single bee colony, beekeepers can obtain many valuable products such as honey, beeswax, and pollen. Furthermore, bees play a crucial role in pollinating crops, helping to increase agricultural productivity and quality.
Recognizing the advantage of his spacious hillside orchards, abundant fruit trees, and year-round flowering plants, Mr. Trinh Dinh Long from Lam Son commune started his business with just three beehives. Mr. Long said: “Beekeeping doesn’t require a large investment, but it demands meticulousness, patience, and attention to technique from selecting bee breeds and locations to queen bee breeding and honey harvesting; understanding bees’ characteristics to provide appropriate care for each stage and season; especially the period from July to November (lunar calendar), which is crucial for maintaining and developing the bee colony.”
According to Mr. Long, it's essential to understand the flowering process of different bee species, selecting flowers with high nutritional value and good nectar production for bees to feed on. The peak honey season runs from February to July each year, with April and May being the busiest months, allowing beekeepers to harvest honey two to three times a month. Honey quality is heavily dependent on the weather; heavy rain results in thin honey, while intense sunlight makes it thick and difficult to extract. Currently, thanks to knowing how to select high-quality queen and male bees for breeding, some beekeepers have achieved high colony cohesion, reduced bee flight, and fewer bee degenerations, resulting in high yields and quality honey. Mr. Long's bee farm currently has 150 colonies, producing over 1,000 liters of honey annually.
Taking advantage of its large forest area, Hoa Quy commune has encouraged its residents to develop beekeeping for honey production. Accordingly, the commune has established clubs and cooperatives to support residents with beekeeping techniques and to connect households with similar passions, sharing experiences in caring for and harvesting honey.
Mr. Le Trong Mai, Director of Hop Thanh Binh Luong Cooperative, said: “By joining the cooperative, households are guided on beekeeping techniques for honey production, using beehives, intelligently moving bee colonies, managing diseases, and how to separate the queen bee from the colony to build a new nest... With a guaranteed production process, honey is filtered using specialized filters, and water is separated at the correct ratio using a hydrolysis separator. Therefore, the cooperative's honey products ensure food safety and hygiene, maintain their golden consistency, and do not change color.” Currently, the Duc Luong forest flower honey product of the cooperative has been certified as meeting OCOP 3-star standards and is currently linking with many points and stores selling the product at tourist destinations inside and outside the province to boost honey consumption."
Currently, the province has approximately 13,000 households raising honeybees, with over 100,000 colonies, concentrated in the communes of Kim Tan, Yen Nhan, Hoa Quy, Xuan Du, Nga Son, etc., producing about 175,000 liters of honey annually. Several localities have successfully developed honey products that meet OCOP (One Commune One Product) standards, such as Huong Hoa honey, Yen Nhan forest flower honey, Binh Son pure four-season forest flower honey, Ong Tu honey, Am Cac honey, etc.
However, currently, beekeeping for honey production faces many challenges due to the need to find markets independently and the limited application of science and technology. In addition, climate change alters flowering seasons, directly affecting bees' food sources; the use of pesticides in agriculture also seriously harms bee colonies. Therefore, to sustainably develop beekeeping for honey production, localities need to encourage people to raise bees in a farm or household-based model combined with crop cultivation, utilizing natural food sources. Emphasis should be placed on establishing cooperatives and associations to build a linked chain between production, processing, and consumption of products, and to build brands for local products. Furthermore, to ensure the sustainable development of beekeeping, localities need to guide people in applying scientific and technological advancements to production; and support the connection and consumption of honey products to larger markets.
Text and photos: Le Ngoc
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/phat-develop-the-profession-of-bee-keeping-with-eye-extract-285055.htm
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