Honey collection gains popularity

Honey production gains momentum in Tangail during this time of the year when pastures are blanketed by yellow flower-bearing mustard plants. Bee keepers have placed thousands of boxes for bee colonies near the mustard fields in the district. Agriculturists said there has been a surge in mustard cultivation by 15 to 20 percent because of the growing culture of honey production. About 5000 tonnes of honey is expected to be produced in Tangail and the adjacent areas this year, said Abul Hossain, director of Mouchash Unnoyan Sangstha (MUS), an NGO.
The commercial and scientific bee-keeping (apiculture) started at Madhupur in Tangail district with assistance with Apiculture Institute of Bangladesh in 1990. But the MUS has taken the initiative of commercial production in the area. It is providing the bee keepers with necessary training on bee farming. Many poor, unemployed youths have received training from the MUS and started bee-keeping using scientific method. Now, farmers can harvest honey round the year. But plenty of it is collected during December-February period of mustard season.
Honey can also be extracted in March, April and May when bees collect nectar from the flowers of mangoes, lichi, sesame and linseed and produce honey. Dulal Hossain President of ‘Bangladesh Mauchash Kallayan Samity’ and a resident of village Terilla in Bhuapur Upazila said he rears bees in 250 boxes. He expects to harvest 60 maunds of honey during this mustard season.  He said the bee colonies will be shifted to Shibchar of Madaripur district in the fields of banana and coriander after the end of mustard farming. He will then migrate these to Dinajpur lichi orchard area in the month of February, later to Sunderban in the month of March and Panchagarh to sesame field in the month of April. He said he expects to earn about Tk 15 lakh during the six-month period from honey farming.
 Farmer Rasedul Alam of Tangail Sadar said he has set up 115 bee boxes near mustard fields in Gala village this year. He is harvesting 460 kilograms of honey in a week.
Anowar Hossain agriculture officer of Tangail Sadar Upazila, said honey extraction has boosted   mustard produced in Tangail as bee keepers keep their boxes in the field. This is because the bees are the best tools of pollination. Both the bee keepers and the mustard farmers are seen equally gainers.
 Abul Hossain, also a freedom fighter, said ‘Dabor’, a multination company of India, has been buying honey since 2014. The company will buy honey this year at a price of Tk 6000 per mound. Bangladesh’s honey is cheaper than that of India. Honey is also being exported to  Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Kuwait and Lebanon.

 

Honey collection gains popularity

Honey production gains momentum in Tangail during this time of the year when pastures are blanketed by yellow flower-bearing mustard plants. Bee keepers have placed thousands of boxes for bee colonies near the mustard fields in the district. Agriculturists said there has been a surge in mustard cultivation by 15 to 20 percent because of the growing culture of honey production. About 5000 tonnes of honey is expected to be produced in Tangail and the adjacent areas this year, said Abul Hossain, director of Mouchash Unnoyan Sangstha (MUS), an NGO. The commercial and scientific bee-keeping (apiculture) started at Madhupur in Tangail district with assistance with Apiculture Institute of Bangladesh in 1990. But the MUS has taken the initiative of commercial production in the area. It is providing the bee keepers with necessary training on bee farming. Many poor, unemployed youths have received training from the MUS and started bee-keeping using scientific method. Now, farmers can harvest honey round the year. But plenty of it is collected during December-February period of mustard season. Honey can also be extracted in March, April and May when bees collect nectar from the flowers of mangoes, lichi, sesame and linseed and produce honey. Dulal Hossain President of Bangladesh Mauchash Kallayan Samity and a resident of village Terilla in Bhuapur Upazila said he rears bees in 250 boxes. He expects to harvest 60 maunds of honey during this mustard season. He said the bee colonies will be shifted to Shibchar of Madaripur district in the fields of banana and coriander after the end of mustard farming. He will then migrate these to Dinajpur lichi orchard area in the month of February, later to Sunderban in the month of March and Panchagarh to sesame field in the month of April. He said he expects to earn about Tk 15 lakh during the six-month period from honey farming. Farmer Rasedul Alam of Tangail Sadar said he has set up 115 bee boxes near mustard fields in Gala village this year. He is harvesting 460 kilograms of honey in a week. Anowar Hossain agriculture officer of Tangail Sadar Upazila, said honey extraction has boosted mustard produced in Tangail as bee keepers keep their boxes in the field. This is because the bees are the best tools of pollination. Both the bee keepers and the mustard farmers are seen equally gainers. Abul Hossain, also a freedom fighter, said Dabor, a multination company of India, has been buying honey since 2014. The company will buy honey this year at a price of Tk 6000 per mound. Bangladeshs honey is cheaper than that of India. Honey is also being exported to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Kuwait and Lebanon.