Traders buy wasps’ nests in central Vietnam for unknown purposes
Tuesday, June 25, 2024, 17:30 GMT+7
Wasps' nests have become a high-demand item in central Vietnam as local residents have flocked to search for them to sell to traders from various regions.
Residents of rural areas in Nghe An and Quang Nam Provinces previously paid no attention to wasps’ nests, which lay unused underneath trees and in bushes; however, they have been selling quickly over the past few months.
As traders go through these areas purchasing wasps’ nests, residents have rushed to find them in forests.
A leader of the administration in Ky Son Commune, Tan Ky District, Nghe An Province said he did not know what traders were buying wasps’ nests for or where they would be sold.
Many owners of grocery stores in these rural areas have also purchased wasps’ nests.
Wasps’ nests without bee pupae are priced at VND1.6 million (US$63) per kilogram, while nests with bee pupae fetch VND300,000-500,000 ($12-20) per kilogram.
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| Wasps’ nests are believed to be sold to China. Photo: Anh Nguyet / Tuoi Tre |
According to a woman buying wasps’ nests in Nghe An, many people called to ask her to help them purchase an unlimited volume of wasps’ nests two months earlier.
The product was initially priced at VND200,000-300,000 ($8-12) per kilogram. The price has surged to millions of Vietnamese dong, but the supply is insufficient.
Traders reached upland and rural districts in Quang Nam to buy wasps’ nests as well.
Both buyers and sellers do not know exactly for what the product will be used.
They supposed that wasps’ nests would be exported to China to produce medicine.
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| Traders have rushed to buy wasps’ nests in central Vietnam over the past few months. Photo: Anh Nguyet / Tuoi Tre |
A wasps' nest buyer in Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam said that she had purchased a quintal of wasps' nests.
She bought the nests at VND800,000 ($31.50) per kilogram, with those containing bee pupae priced lower.
These buyers typically sell the product to larger traders and are unaware of its end use.
According to oriental medicine websites, beeswax from wasps' nests is believed to help detoxify, treat ulcers, and stop bleeding.
It is also used as a material to make hemostatic gauzes for treating wounds and preventing swelling.
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