Farmers in Nghe An province earn billions of dong from raising honeybees for export.

(Baonghean.vn) - Along with the development of the forest economy, many households in Nam Dan have invested in beekeeping for honey production. This is a profession with low investment costs but high income.

Having been involved in beekeeping for over 5 years, Mr. Nguyen Van Son, owner of a bee farm in Khe Huong hamlet, Nam Loc commune, Nam Dan district, shared: "Starting with 100 hives, we expanded to 300 hives after seeing the effectiveness. Beekeeping isn't difficult; you just need to learn, gain experience during the process, and know how to utilize resources from forest trees."

However, beekeepers must regularly check and observe the condition of the bee colony at different times to provide appropriate care. The most difficult aspect of beekeeping is how to keep the colony safe during cold and rainy weather so that it can reproduce for the next season.

Each beehive has 5 frames, and the harvesting season lasts from February to June according to the lunar calendar. With good care, after one year, one colony can split into 5 to 6 colonies. Photo: Hong Suong

Thanks to learning from experience, understanding the behavior of bee colonies, and especially finding suitable plants and flowers for nectar production at each stage, Mr. Son invested hundreds of millions of dong in renting vehicles and hiring workers to transport his bee colonies to the South. As a result, his bees continuously reproduced and thrived, providing him with a fairly stable income. Total revenue from his bee farm each year is approximately 3 billion dong, and after deducting expenses, the net profit reaches over 1 billion dong.

He also employs various techniques to extract royal jelly, a health and beauty product for women. To date, his family's honey, royal jelly, and beeswax products not only supply the domestic market but are also exported to Germany, Laos, and Thailand.

The honey bee farming model of Mr. Nguyen Van Son's family in Khe Huong hamlet, Nam Loc commune (Nam Dan district) generates an income of 3 billion VND per year. Photo: Hong Suong

Currently, beekeeping for honey production has developed widely in Nam Dan district, especially in the 13 forested communes. Many households have boldly invested in large-scale commercial beekeeping.

According to local experience, a characteristic of bees is their ability to self-replicate, as they reproduce very quickly, producing a considerable number of worker bees within 2 to 3 months. Spring, with its warm weather and abundant flowers, is the main honey harvest season of the year, lasting from February to June (lunar calendar). With good care, one colony can split into 5 to 6 colonies after a year.

Beekeeping requires only half the effort and time compared to farming, and consumes less energy, but it demands skill and diligence from the beekeeper. To date, the entire district has expanded to nearly 10,000 bee colonies, with the highest concentrations in the communes of Nam Hung, Nam Loc, Nam Thanh, Nam Nghia, and Van Dien. On average, each household keeps 20-30 beehives, yielding 150-200 liters of honey annually, worth approximately 50-70 million VND.

Currently, honey costs around 200,000 - 250,000 VND per bottle. Photo: Hong Suong

Mr. Pham Ba Dat, Vice Chairman of the Nam Dan District Farmers' Association, said: "In recent years, the beekeeping movement in the district has developed rapidly, bringing in a large income. In the coming time, we will continue to disseminate information and provide training on scientific and technical knowledge to farmers to expand the beekeeping profession."

From a side job, thanks to the resourcefulness and dynamism of the farmers, beekeeping in Nam Dan has now become a stable source of income. It not only helps people escape poverty but also strengthens their sense of responsibility towards protection and fire prevention, contributing to opening up a sustainable path to wealth for many localities in the district.

Hong Suong