(HBO) – Half of Lac Thuy district’s forest areas of 19,100 hectares are cultivated with longan, litchi and other perennial trees, which serves as a good ground for the development of honey and bee sector. Bestowed with favourable weather conditions, Lac Thuy district has gained high economic efficiency from apiculture. Thanks to its high quality, local honey has met the taste of the market and become the main source of income of many households.
Duong Van Uu’s family in Hong Phong
village, Yen Bong commune, is now having 200 be swarms of bees. Last year, his
family earned 200 million VND from 2,000 litres of honey.
Duong Van Uu’s family in Hong Phong village, Yen Bong commune, began the job in
1972 and now they are having 200 swarms of bees which generate some 2,000
litres of honey each year. The family earns an average of over 200 million VND
from selling the honey.
Uu said that beekeeping is not difficult but it requires keepers’ carefulness
and deep understanding of the bees’ habitat like bee swarm season and foraging
season as well as various kinds of flowers. Longan, litchi, acacia and eucalyptusare best for bees with honey production.
Foraging season is between February and July, particularly from May, households
harvest honey two or three times a month. Meanwhile, when nectar becomes scare
in the cold season, beekeepers should work to prevent absconding, he said.
With more than 40 years of experience in beekeeping, Ha Huu Huong in Zone 7,
Chi Ne town, has 50 swarms of bees. Last year, he harvested 500 litres of honey
and gained 100 million VND.
"Choosing queen bees is of utmost
importance as they play a decisive role in developing a healthy swarm and
producing high-quality honey. Disease prevention should get due attention. Gearing
towards clean products, our honey has been favoured by many traders. As each
litre of honey is sold at 160,000 VND, our family earn over 100 million VND
each year”, he said.
According to Hoang Dinh Chinh, deputy head of the Lac Thuy district’s bureau of
agriculture and rural development, the trade is not new in Lac Thuy. It was developed
in a small scale, then the model is widened widely thanks to its economic
efficiency. Taking advantage of the forest land, local people have rushed to
farm bees, with 500 households keeping 10,000 swarms. Each year, the district
harvests 120 tonnes of honey and gains over 20 billion VND.
Many people have shifted to beekeeping as this job does not require to big investment
but brings about a stable income. However, it requires high techniques and
carefulness in each stage.
Beekeeping is potential for local economic development, making significant
contributions to the alleviation of poverty and improvement of local livelihoods.
Therefore, Lac Thuy district has worked to encourage local farmers to develop
the bee swarms while planting more forests to create food for bees. Apiculture
is well developed in Yen Bong and Khoan Du commune, and Chi Ne town.
In a bid to make beekeeping as a spearhead in the local economy, local
authorities should give more support to the farmers so that they can develop a sustainable
model and build Lac Thuy honey brand./.
Maximizing local potential and advantages, Yen Tri commune in Yen Thuy district is actively promoting the cultivation of medicinal herbs and turning medicinal herbs into One Commune - One Product (OCOP) products.
Situated at the gateway to the Northwest, Hoa Binh province has a population of over 900,000, including about 540,000 of working age. It is home to 6,000 businesses and production facilities, providing employment for over 100,000 workers. The remaining workforce is engaged in informal jobs, works in enterprises outside the province, or contributes to agro-forestry-fisheries. Additionally, around 3,000 workers are employed abroad.
The Hoa Binh provincial People's Committee has issued Decision No. 2767/QD-UBND announcing the rankings of departments, agencies, districts and Hoa Binh city in the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) in 2024.
The cultivation of Dam Xanh fish (Bangana lemassoni), a unique fish species, has seen remarkable growth in Mai Chau district, thanks to its high economic value and effectiveness. Initially concentrated in Van Mai commune, farming has now extended to four other communes, namely Mai Hich, Mai Ha, Chieng Chau, and Son Thuy. These areas benefit from pristine underground water flowing from mountain crevices, providing ideal conditions for raising this specialty fish.
In 2024, the total state budget revenue of Hoa Binh Province is estimated at approximately VND 6,930 billion, achieving 183% of the Government’s target, 126% of the target assigned by the Provincial People's Council, and 145% compared to the same period last year.
In 2024, Hoa Binh province has shown signs of improvement in attracting investment and developing enterprises.