Demand for honey on the rise, says firm

Demand for honey is on the rise and local farmers can reap more returns if they use modern beehives, managing director for The Hive (Malawi) Olive Mwenefumbo has said.

“Currently,  farmers using locally-made beehives harvest honey twice a year since they crash the honeycomb on harvest.

“With the modern beehives, farmers do not crash it, giving the bees the chance to produce more honey. They can harvest honey six times a year,” she said after her company distributed Kenyan made Langstroth beehive to Neno farmers in collaboration with World Vision International (WVI).

Mwenefumbo said farmers can maximise their produce and add more value to it for local and international markets. The firm buys the honey from the farmers.

She added: “We teach farmers to get more than honey from their bees. They can extract pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom, which fetch high prices on the international market.”

Pollen is a natural multi-protein, which international relief agencies use for malnourished children.

WVI programme manager for Neno Immaculate Botomani said 300 farmers received beehives and other accessories to cushion the effects of climate change in the district heavily hit by deforestation due to charcoal burning.

It is estimated that the local honey industry comprises 5 000 small-scale producers, owning 10 000 hives.