Raising Italian bees in mangrove forests yields 120 million VND per month.
(Baonghean.vn) - From Dak Lak, Mr. Nguyen Hai Hung moved 300 Italian beehives to be placed under the melaleuca forest in Hamlet 11, Thanh Huong Commune, Thanh Chuong District, earning 120 million VND per month from melaleuca honey.
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| Mr. Nguyen Hai Hung takes care of his bee colony. |
Traveling along the Ho Chi Minh Highway, through Hamlet 11, Thanh Huong Commune, Thanh Chuong District, we stopped at the bee farm of Mr. Nguyen Hai Hung, nestled beneath a lush green melaleuca forest.
Having been a beekeeper for nearly 10 years, Mr. Hung said that Nghe An has many acacia and melaleuca forests, creating a very abundant source of natural honey. From April to August each year is the time when acacia and melaleuca leaves develop their foliage, and at the same time, drops of honey are secreted daily from the young buds.
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| In just one week, the honeycomb completely covered the honeycomb. |
Thirty-one beehives, home to Italian bees, are clustered in a corner of the melaleuca forest, where the beekeepers eat and sleep alongside the bees. Hung explains: "Beekeeping is a nomadic lifestyle; wherever there are flowering trees, we transport the bees there. Therefore, from the lychee blossom season in Bac Giang, the longan blossom season in Hung Yen, to the rubber and coffee blossom season in the Central Highlands, I've been there to collect honey."
| Italian bees, also known as Italian honey bees or exotic honey bees, are a subspecies of the honey bee Apis mellifera. This is a widely cultivated honey bee subspecies worldwide, producing a high yield of honey. In Vietnam, Italian bees are recognized as an imported breed permitted for production and trade. |
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| Melaleuca trees secrete nectar from the buds of their young leaves. |
Nghe An province has over 145,000 hectares of planted forests, mainly acacia and melaleuca trees. These trees secrete nectar from the axils of their young leaves and buds, attracting many itinerant beekeepers. Beekeepers say that melaleuca honey may not be as visually appealing or fragrant as honey from other flowers, but it has a unique flavor that is favored by foreign customers.
Seasonal beekeeping in the melaleuca forests of Nghe An province is proving highly effective. Beekeepers harvest honey once a week, yielding approximately 1.5 tons. With an average selling price of 20,000 VND/kg, each beekeeper earns over 120 million VND per month.
Xuan Hoang
