Heishui Honey

Heishui Honey

Heishui Honey is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Heishui County is a semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral region, located on the western Sichuan plateau in the high mountain and canyon areas of central Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. It lies in the middle section of the Minshan Mountain Range and is the source of the Heishui River and Ma’ergai River, two major tributaries of the upper Minjiang River. The terrain mainly consists of plateaus, high mountain canyons, and mid-mountain valleys, with altitudes ranging from 1,790 to 5,286 meters. The area is home to famous attractions such as “Dagu Glacier,” “Kalonggou,” the 80-li Colorful Forest in 0 Valley, “San’ao Snow Mountains,” and “Yaxia National Forest Park,” as well as intangible cultural heritage like “Kasidawen.” The unique geographical environment fosters species diversity, and a wide variety of nectariferous plants provide an ideal habitat for the Heishui honeybee, while naturally occurring wild nectar sources offer the essential conditions for producing high-quality honey.

　　Heishui Honey is a specialty of Heishui County, Aba, Sichuan.

　　Heishui County has made full use of its high-altitude ecological advantages to vigorously develop beekeeping under the brand of Aba Chinese Honeybees. Beekeeping zones have been established in Zhimulin and Kalong townships, with 100 model beekeeping households cultivated, each managing an average of 30 beehives. Additionally, the Heishui County Xingmu Aba Chinese Honeybee Beekeeping Farmers' Professional Cooperative has been formed to unite local beekeepers across the county. Currently, the scale of Aba Chinese Honeybee farming has reached 12,000 colonies, with an estimated annual production of 125 tons of mature honey.

　　In 2014, the “Heishui Honey” application submitted by the Animal Husbandry Workstation of the Heishui County Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, leading to its registration and protection as a national geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Region: Sichuan

　　Applicant: Animal Husbandry Workstation of the Heishui County Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau

　　Year of Application: 2014

　　Geographical Scope

　　The protected geographical indication area for Heishui Honey includes 17 townships: Shashiduo, Hongyan, Luoduo, Wabo, Qinglang, Ciba, Kalong, Luhua, Shuangliusu, Musu, Longba, Shidiaolou, Sergu, Zhaowo, Zhimulin, Mawo, and Weigu. The geographical coordinates are between 102°35' to 103°30' east longitude and 31°35' to 32°38' north latitude. The protected area spans 4,356 square kilometers, approximately 85 kilometers from east to west and 72.5 kilometers from north to south. The Heishui honeybee farming population reaches 12,000 colonies, with an annual honey production of 180 tons.