Malawi honey on demand in japan

Malawi’s honey might not be an issue here, but in Japan it is big business as it is highly favoured by the Japanese, Business News has learnt.

The sole Malawi honey retailer in Japan, Mizuno San, said this on Tuesday in Mulanje where he donated 50 beehives to Mapanga Honey Processing Cooperatives whose 500 beehives were washed away during the January 2015 floods that hit the country’s 15 of the 28 districts.

San, who buys an average of 1 000 kilogramme (kg) of honey each year from various cooperatives in Malawi and sells it in Tokyo, Japan, observed that Malawi honey is rich, flavoured and nutritious.

He said because of this, it is highly favoured among Japanese who are these days cautious with nutritious food.

“The challenge I face right now is that local Japanese honey producers are very worried. They fear Malawi honey will take over,” he said.

San further revealed that his honey customers in Japan were worried when they heard that floods hit Malawi, saying their immediate reaction was that honey producers have been affected.Chairperson for Mapanga Honey Cooperatives Lydia Chikaonda-Gundo said floods washed away their 500 beehives and remaining with 50.

The cooperative, which has membership of 100 from nine villages, was greatly affected and everything has ground to a halt.

Their annual output which, on a good year, stands at 2 500 kg has shrunk to only 200 kg due to floods that washed away their beehives, according to Chikaonda-Gundo.

In response to their plight, San sought financial assistance from Japanese customers of Malawi honey and purchased 50 beehives which, according to Chikaonda-Gundo, is “a great, great relief”.

He said Japan remains their reliable market and promised to scale up what he buys from Malawian cooperatives.

It is estimated that the honey industry in Malawi comprises 5 000 small-scale producers, owning 10 000 hives—75 of which are of local style.

The volume of honey, which is formally traded and, can therefore be measured, is between 75 and 80 tonnes.

It is also estimated that the Northern Region produces around 60 percent of honey produced in Malawi.

The national demand for honey, estimated at 200 tonnes per year, is not met.