Qingshui Acacia Honey

Qingshui Acacia Honey

Qingshui Acacia Honey is a product with geographical indication status.

　　Qingshui Acacia Honey

　　Designated by the Executive Council and expert panel of the China Beekeeping Association, Qingshui County in Shanxi Province has been officially named China’s Hometown of Bees. It is the fifth such designation in China, following Jiangshan City in Zhejiang Province, Huizhou District in Anhui Province, Chengkou County in Chongqing Municipality, and Pubei County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

　　Qingshui County lies at the convergence of the Taihang and Zhongtiao mountain ranges. Over 75% of its more than 4 million mu (approximately 266,667 hectares) of land is covered by forests and grasslands. Among the diverse vegetation, acacia and vitex forests dominate. From May to July each year, the blooming acacia and vitex flowers across the mountains provide the main nectar source for high-quality honey.

　　According to reports, due to the weak commercial awareness of beekeepers and the long-standing influence of a self-sufficient economy, honey production has been scattered across various natural villages in the county, making it difficult to achieve scale and leaving Qingshui’s premium honey largely unknown to the outside world. This prestigious recognition not only significantly boosts the visibility of Jincheng City and Qingshui County but also plays an important role in developing distinctive agricultural clusters, building an ecological Jincheng, and enhancing the market competitiveness of premium honey.

　　Currently, Qingshui County has over 1,200 large-scale beekeeping households managing 54,000 beehives. The total output value of beekeeping exceeds 30 million yuan, ranking first among all counties in Shanxi Province. Bottled purified honey is not only popular locally but also well-known nationwide.

　　Bee Products

　　Geographical Scope

　　In accordance with the "Administrative Measures for the Registration of Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products" and based on the specific natural ecological environment conditions of Qingshui Acacia Honey, the Qingshui County Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, after extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, has designated the geographical protection area for Qingshui Acacia Honey as covering all 14 towns and 251 administrative villages (communities) within Qingshui County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. The geographical coordinates are between 35°24′–36°04′ north latitude and 111°55′–112°47′ east longitude. The protected area spans 267,660 hectares, with an annual production total of 1,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. All physicochemical and quality indicators of the product must comply with the standards set forth in China’s GB4963-2011 "Honey." 2. Safety Requirements: The appearance, physicochemical indicators, microbiological indicators, drug and heavy metal residue levels of Qingshui Acacia Honey must meet the standards specified in GB14963-3-2011 for honey, and drinking water must comply with the NY5027-2001 "Water Quality for Livestock and Poultry Drinking in Pollution-Free Food Production" standard. Management of the production process, technical requirements, use of bee medications, as well as processing, storage, and transportation of honey, must conform to the GBT21528-2008 "Good Manufacturing Practices for Bee Products," NY5138-2002 "Guidelines for Veterinary Drug Use in Pollution-Free Beekeeping," NYT1241-2006 "Technical Management Specifications for Processing Bee Products," NYT639-2002 "Technical Specifications for Honey Production," NYT5139-2002 "Guidelines for Beekeeping Management in Pollution-Free Food Production," and other relevant regulations issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.