Ha Tinh: Native beekeeping opens a path to prosperity

In recent years, the practice of raising local honeybees for honey production has grown rapidly in many areas across Ha Tinh Province. The province's large forest areas, extensive hill gardens, and abundant year-round floral resources have created favorable conditions for residents to invest in and expand beekeeping, gradually developing honey production into a commercial-scale sector.

Beyond providing a stable source of income, local honeybee farming also increases the value of agricultural production, improves the ecological environment, and opens a sustainable development pathway for the rural economy.

Harnessing natural advantages

Taking advantage of the proximity to natural forests and abundant floral resources, the family of Mr. Tran Van Phong in Trung Linh Village, Phuc Trach Commune, has boldly invested in developing beekeeping on a commercial scale. Starting with only a few bee colonies, his family now maintains nearly 100 colonies, becoming one of the largest beekeeping households in the locality.

By strictly following proper technical procedures, Mr. Phong’s bee colonies have grown steadily and delivered high productivity. On average, each colony produces 7-8 liters of honey per harvest, with each collection yielding hundreds of liters of honey. Extracted from natural floral sources, the honey has a bright golden color, distinctive aroma, and naturally sweet flavor, making it highly favored by consumers and ensuring stable market demand.

Mr. Phong shared: "Beekeeping does not require a large area of land; it mainly relies on natural floral resources. As long as we master the techniques of caring for bees, the colonies will develop well and produce honey consistently. Thanks to this, my family has a stable source of income and our living conditions have improved significantly."

Beyond increasing the number of bee colonies and boosting production, many beekeepers in Phuc Trach have proactively shifted their focus toward improving product quality and building brands. The family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung in Bac Linh Village is one such example. With more than 60 bee colonies, Ms. Nhung harvests nearly 700 liters of honey annually. In 2025, her family’s Van Hoa honey product was recognized as a three-star OCOP product, marking an important step in enhancing product value and expanding the consumer market.

Ms. Nhung said that in the past, honey was mainly sold on a small scale, resulting in limited value. Since building a brand, the product has received better market acceptance, with more stable outlets and higher selling prices.

The abundant floral sources from acacia and melaleuca forests, as well as fruit trees such as oranges, pomelos, and longans, contribute to the distinctive quality of local honey. The honey has a bright golden color, thick texture, natural aroma, and low crystallization tendency, earning consumers’ trust and preference. Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, a local customer, shared: “The honey here has a naturally sweet taste and pleasant aroma. I feel confident using it because beekeepers focus on clean production.”

Making positive contributions to ecological protection

Phuc Trach Commune has great potential for developing beekeeping. With more than 16,000 hectares of natural forest and abundant floral resources, beekeeping in the locality has grown rapidly in both scale and quality in recent years. The commune currently has nearly 200 households engaged in beekeeping, with a total of around 4,000 bee colonies.

Mr. Le Nguyen Kien Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Phuc Trach Commune People’s Committee, said that local authorities are promoting communication and encouraging residents to develop beekeeping in a sustainable manner. At the same time, the commune is coordinating with relevant technical agencies to organize training courses, transfer beekeeping techniques, support model development, and orient production linkages.

Not only Phuc Trach, but many other localities across the province are also strongly developing native honeybee farming through agricultural extension support programmes. In Cam Binh Commune, Mr. Ho Xuan Tinh has utilized his fruit orchard area to develop a beekeeping model under tree canopies. Starting with 40 colonies, he has expanded the model to more than 50 colonies, producing over 200 liters of honey annually. Notably, in addition to honey harvesting, his family has also sold 20 bee colonies for breeding purposes since the beginning of the year, generating additional income.

Mr. Tinh said that beekeeping under tree canopies not only makes use of floral resources but also helps increase the fruit-setting rate of crops. This model delivers dual benefits and is well suited to local production conditions.

In Truong Luu Commune, Mr. Phan Van Quy is also one of the typical beekeeping households. Starting with five bee colonies initially supported by a program, he has now expanded to 25 colonies, producing nearly 150 liters of honey annually. With a selling price of around VND 400,000 per liter, the model provides him with a stable source of income.

According to local residents, native honeybee farming offers many advantages, including low initial investment costs, easy management, fewer risks, and effective utilization of natural floral resources. As bees do not require industrial feed supplements, the honey retains its natural flavor and high quality. Notably, beekeeping also contributes positively to ecological protection. Bees are highly sensitive to chemicals, requiring beekeepers to limit pesticide use and pay greater attention to preserving their habitats. This helps promote the development of a safe and sustainable agricultural ecosystem.

Ha Tinh currently has more than 311,000 hectares of forest, including nearly 218,000 hectares of natural forest and over 94,000 hectares of planted forest, along with more than 18,000 hectares of various fruit tree plantations. These are highly favorable conditions for developing honeybee farming. The province now has around 52,000 bee colonies, with many large-scale models delivering high economic efficiency. Some households have expanded their operations to dozens or even hundreds of colonies, gradually developing beekeeping into a commercial production sector.

$ 1 = VND 26,490 - Source: Vietcombank.