Bustling mint honey season on the rocky plateau

Every year in November and December (solar calendar), when the winter monsoon comes, the mint flowers bloom, showing off their purple color all over the mountain slopes of the Ha Giang rocky plateau. People here are excited to welcome the new honey season - Mint honey season.

These days, from the starting point of Quan Ba district to Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac On the rocky slopes of the mountains, you can see the silhouettes of beekeepers spinning honey. The cans of mint honey shimmering with lemon yellow light have been and are bringing jobs and income to the people.

Flowers have an attractive fragrance that attracts bees from everywhere to come and collect nectar.

In November and December (solar calendar) is when mint blooms, showing off its purple color all over the mountain slopes of the rocky plateau.

Mr. Hoang Ngoc Cuong, residing in Group 5, Meo Vac Town, Meo Vac District, has more than 10 years of experience in beekeeping for honey. This year, Mr. Cuong's family has more than 70 bee colonies. Mr. Cuong said: "With more than 70 bee colonies now, after each mint crop, I collect about 250 liters of honey, with a selling price of 500,000 VND/liter or more. Most of my family's mint honey has been pre-ordered by acquaintances, so I sell out as soon as the honey is available."

With more than 70 bee colonies, after each mint crop, Mr. Hoang Ngoc Cuong's family in Meo Vac district (Ha Giang) collects about 250 liters of honey.

Mint flowers are shaped like a fox's tail, with thousands of small bells hanging around them. The flowers have a seductive fragrance that attracts bees from everywhere to collect honey. Mint honey is only found in the rocky plateau and nowhere else. The honey is greenish-yellow, has a light fragrance, and a sweet taste. For a long time, people have been spreading the benefits of mint honey such as improving health, curing respiratory and digestive diseases; for women, mint honey also reduces wrinkles, softens the skin, and gives the skin a rosy glow... It is a type of honey that is more delicious than all other types of honey, perhaps that is why the price of mint honey is much higher than other types of honey. Moreover, the annual production of mint honey is not much, it is not sold in the market like other things, so it is difficult to find and buy this unique specialty.

These days, from the beginning of Quan Ba district to Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac, on the rocky mountain slopes, you can see the silhouettes of beekeepers harvesting honey.

Currently, Ha Giang has 3,239 hectares of mint trees, about 60,450 bee colonies, of which, in 4 districts of the rocky plateau, there are an estimated 48,000 colonies. Mint honey output in 2024 is estimated at about 240 tons, with current market prices ranging from 500,000-800,000 VND/liter.

When bringing the honey tray back, the farmer will cut off the top of the honey well to put it in the rotating cage.

Peppermint honey has a lemon yellow color, when enjoyed it has a light aroma, sweet taste... is considered a medicine with special medicinal properties such as health improvement, has the effect of treating respiratory and digestive diseases.

Implementing the policy of developing beekeeping into a key profession, Ha Giang has supported more than 30 billion VND for organizations and individuals to invest in beekeeping and supported the expansion of the planting area of more than 1,700 hectares of mint. Since being granted a Certificate of Geographical Indication by the Department of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Science and Technology , Ha Giang mint honey has continuously increased in value as well as built a brand in the domestic market.

Mint honey season is bustling, coming to the rocky plateau at this time, visitors will admire the mint flower forests with dreamy purple color and the unforgettable sweet taste of mint honey - the quintessence from the rocky mountains and morning dew drops on the rocky plateau of Ha Giang.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/ron-rang-mua-mat-ong-hoa-bac-ha-tren-cao-nguyen-da-5029531.html