Jhenidah

Honey production falling sharply

Honey production has fallen sharply in Jhenidah and its surrounding districts—a trend environmentalists attribute to deforestation and use of harmful chemical fertilizers, pesticides and hormones.  Veteran environmental activist Masud Ahmed Sanju said global warming, unplanned development in both urban and rural areas, deforestation, and use of harmful chemical fertilizers, pesticides and hormones in the orchards are mainly responsible for the situation.
 He also said bees leaving their hives for honey collection were not coming back. The trend might affect the environment and food production, as bees play a vital role in pollination, he noted.
 To protect bees for honey production and to preserve the country's bio-diversity and environment, massive awareness campaigns have to be conducted among farmers and ordinary people, he said.
 Some fruit vendors, requesting anonymity, told The Independent that huge quantities of harmful chemicals like Karate, Nazeb, Amomektin, Lamda and Halogine were being applied to the buds of the mango, lichi and blackberry at the time of flowering.
Large quantities of hormones are also haphazardly used during this phase, they said.
 As a result, bees that set out on their daily chore of honey collection are being affected by the deadly chemicals and dying in large numbers every day.
 Ahmed Ali, a professional honey collector, better known as Mouwali in local parlance, said a few hundred people were engaged in honey trapping in various parts of the district. He, for instance, earned enough from gathering honey to sustain a family of four round the year.
 Sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said they had recorded a honey production of 2,830 kg in the current season, while it was 251 kg last season.
 They have been setting up bee-keeping boxes on Sajina, Najina and other trees for honey production on a commercial basis. Businessmen have been harvesting the honey produced two or more times a season. When contacted, Shah Akramul Haque, deputy director of the DAE in Jhenidah, admitted to the death of bees and the application of harmful chemicals in orchards.
 He said bees were the main agents of pollination, ensuring crop production round the year. “We're conscious of human rights, but do not care for our future and the environment,” he observed.
 Bees help increase soil nutrition with their decomposing bodies after they die, and the honey they collect from flowers during their lifetime is known as an organic medicine for humans and other creatures.
 The paraffin extracted from honeycombs has medicinal use worldwide. A decline in the number of bees might create food shortage in future, Haque said.

 

Jhenidah

Honey production falling sharply

Honey production has fallen sharply in Jhenidah and its surrounding districtsa trend environmentalists attribute to deforestation and use of harmful chemical fertilizers, pesticides and hormones. Veteran environmental activist Masud Ahmed Sanju said global warming, unplanned development in both urban and rural areas, deforestation, and use of harmful chemical fertilizers, pesticides and hormones in the orchards are mainly responsible for the situation. He also said bees leaving their hives for honey collection were not coming back. The trend might affect the environment and food production, as bees play a vital role in pollination, he noted. To protect bees for honey production and to preserve the countrys bio-diversity and environment, massive awareness campaigns have to be conducted among farmers and ordinary people, he said. Some fruit vendors, requesting anonymity, told The Independent that huge quantities of harmful chemicals like Karate, Nazeb, Amomektin, Lamda and Halogine were being applied to the buds of the mango, lichi and blackberry at the time of flowering. Large quantities of hormones are also haphazardly used during this phase, they said. As a result, bees that set out on their daily chore of honey collection are being affected by the deadly chemicals and dying in large numbers every day. Ahmed Ali, a professional honey collector, better known as Mouwali in local parlance, said a few hundred people were engaged in honey trapping in various parts of the district. He, for instance, earned enough from gathering honey to sustain a family of four round the year. Sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said they had recorded a honey production of 2,830 kg in the current season, while it was 251 kg last season. They have been setting up bee-keeping boxes on Sajina, Najina and other trees for honey production on a commercial basis. Businessmen have been harvesting the honey produced two or more times a season. When contacted, Shah Akramul Haque, deputy director of the DAE in Jhenidah, admitted to the death of bees and the application of harmful chemicals in orchards. He said bees were the main agents of pollination, ensuring crop production round the year. Were conscious of human rights, but do not care for our future and the environment, he observed. Bees help increase soil nutrition with their decomposing bodies after they die, and the honey they collect from flowers during their lifetime is known as an organic medicine for humans and other creatures. The paraffin extracted from honeycombs has medicinal use worldwide. A decline in the number of bees might create food shortage in future, Haque said.