Beekeeping expands villagers' paths to riches

Some packaged honey products. [Photo/WeChat account of Xifeng county]

In recent years, Xifeng county has worked to develop a forest-derived beekeeping industry. With small investment and high economic efficiency, this industry has become a new way for local villagers to make money.

Benefiting from the local climate and abundant honey-source vegetation, which can lead to stable honey production, the county successfully introduced the Guizhou Nanshan Huahai Bee Farm in 2017.

This company integrates beekeeping, honey-source plant cultivation, beekeeping technology training, honey production, and sales. It operates using a "company + cooperative" model, providing technical guidance and related support to local villagers, thereby promoting the development of the forest-derived beekeeping industry among villagers.

To date, the company has raised 670 boxes of bees, achieving an annual output value of more than 800,000 yuan ($109,520) and involving over 900 rural residents.

Zhang Zhifa, a local villager, said that he has raised bees for several years. His over 200 boxes of bees can bring in an income of 70,000-80,000 yuan annually.

According to the county's bureau of natural resources, Xifeng has so far raised about 4,000 boxes of Chinese bees and used about 12,000 mu (800 hectares) of forest land.