Mr. Pham Xuan Son's family is one of the first households to raise bees in Phong Lai commune, Thuan Chau district, Son La province. With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Son said that beekeeping does not require a large investment, however, to achieve the best honey yield and quality, beekeepers need to meticulously care for their bees at each stage and in each season, especially following the VietGAP standard for honey production.

"Beekeeping according to VietGAP standards requires a clean environment. When bees go to collect nectar, they must be isolated from pesticides sprayed on fruits and medications used to treat bee colonies, thus ensuring a clean and high-quality honey source," Mr. Son said.

The Phong Lai Beekeeping Cooperative is currently maintaining a beekeeping scale of approximately 1,000 colonies.

In Phong Lai commune, beekeeping has existed for many years, but mostly on an informal basis. In recent years, taking advantage of the strengths of the hilly, forested areas and fruit trees, beekeeping households have linked up to form the Phong Lai Beekeeping Cooperative, with 13 members. Instead of small-scale, spontaneous beekeeping, cooperative members now organize their beekeeping according to a plan, based on signed contracts for consumption, with the cooperative allocating production schedules to the households. Input materials have also been optimized, and as a result, the cooperative currently maintains a beekeeping scale of approximately 1,000 colonies with annual revenue exceeding 2.5 billion VND.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Director of Phong Lai Beekeeping Cooperative in Thuan Chau district, Son La province, said that all members of the cooperative have extensive experience in beekeeping, which is an advantage for the cooperative. “After establishing the cooperative and subsequently producing according to VietGAP standards, the cooperative has built a brand and trademark. Now, the products of Phong Lai Beekeeping Cooperative are available on the market and are well-known to many people,” Mr. Thanh stated.

The honey is bottled in jars and containers, with a traceability system.

With natural beekeeping methods, harvesting, and preservation according to strict procedures, the yield and quality of honey have continuously improved. The cooperative's honey products are highly valued by consumers for their rich sweetness, aroma, and attractive color. To provide the market with reputable and high-quality honey products, the cooperative has disseminated awareness of production processes according to VietGAP standards; trained members on disease prevention, harvesting techniques, processing, and preserving honey products... Members have adhered to safe beekeeping practices, thanks to which the cooperative's products have consistently won the title of outstanding provincial product for many years.

“After harvesting and being released into the water, the honey products of the cooperative are bottled in jars and containers with traceability labels. The honey products were previously VietGAP certified and later received OCOP 4-star certification, so people can completely trust the product,” shared Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, a member of the Phong Lai Beekeeping Cooperative.

Honey products bring the cooperative an annual revenue of over 2.5 billion VND.

The integrated beekeeping chain, encompassing production, processing, and consumption, has promoted the sustainable development of honey beekeeping in Phong Lai commune in particular, and the agricultural production movement in Thuan Chau district, Son La province in general, bringing high value and helping people achieve sustainable wealth.

Thanh Thuy