Despite holding an IT degree, Nguyen Minh Tung from Can Tho chose to return to his hometown to build a sustainable multi-tier organic beekeeping model, generating annual revenue in the billions of dong.

In early October, the weather in the Mekong Delta turned hot and humid.

Under the coconut groves of Truong An hamlet (Truong Khanh commune, Can Tho city), 33-year-old Nguyen Minh Tung and his technical team were busy tending to hundreds of beehives in preparation for the new honey season.

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Nguyen Minh Tung checking hive health. Photo: T.T.

After graduating in Information Technology from a local college in 2013, Tung made a bold career switch to follow his passion for agriculture.

In 2015, with personal savings of 15 million VND (about $600), he bought 10 beehives to test his idea.

However, his youthful enthusiasm was soon met with harsh reality after eight consecutive failures due to a lack of experience in hive care and improper location selection.

Unfazed by setbacks, Tung began studying and adapting his beekeeping techniques to suit local weather conditions.

“One advantage in beekeeping is that colonies can self-replicate. But to ensure high-quality honey and colony health, regular care is essential,” he explained.

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Beehives arranged under trees to reduce heat. Photo: T.T.

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Bees producing honey. Photo: T.T.

Starting with just a few hives, Tung now manages over 350 colonies.

In 2017, he founded his own company and introduced a two-tier hive system: the lower level for breeding and the upper level for honey collection.

This design prevents contamination, keeps the honey over 90% pure, and doesn’t disrupt colony development.

When asked about his know-how, Tung explained that bees thrive between January to July and again from November to January.

Hive sites should be close to natural food sources like coconut, melaleuca, or longan groves, which reduces both cost and risk since the hives don't need to be relocated.

During rainy seasons, the bees must be fed sugar water to maintain population and productivity.

“Bees don’t forage during heavy rain, which is when they regenerate their colony by creating new queens. Old queens with low fertility impact both colony size and honey yield,” he revealed.

Recognizing the growing demand for organically produced honey, Tung invested hundreds of millions of dong to build a processing workshop in 2019.

The facility features moisture-reducing machines, filtration systems, and an automated packaging line.

Thanks to this upgrade, the product range expanded to include pure honey, honey kumquat drinks, beeswax candles, and more.

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Technicians inspecting the multi-tier hive system. Photo: T.T.

Currently, the facility supplies 1-2 tons of honey per month, priced at 440,000 VND per liter (around $18), bringing in monthly revenue of 300-350 million VND ($12,000–$14,000) and profit margins of 25-30%.

Tung also collaborates with two other apiaries to ensure a stable supply chain.

Besides honeybees, he has developed over 1,000 colonies of stingless bees, which produce rare, highly aromatic honey with significant economic value.

This premium honey sells for up to 3 million VND per liter (about $120).

Looking ahead, this ambitious Can Tho native plans to scale up operations and strengthen online and supermarket distribution of his clean agricultural products.

Tran Tuyen