Letters

Dear Editor

In B&D41 read New from Njiro about bee smoker appropriate African conditions. However I have been informed that some honey buyers are not interested in buying smoked honey and instead they demand to buy honey which has not been collected using smoke. Since these people have the money which we are looking for, we tend to say yes to them. We know very well that by gathering honey without the use of smoker many bees die because they are taken by surprise without warning. A beekeeper who loves his bees will become so sad seeing so many dead bees in his comb honey.

Even if a beekeeper accepts the method of harvesting without using the smoker, honey may still be smoke-flavoured because of bush fires. This is due to “Early burning of the forest” to allow dry grass to burn without causing serious damage to the forest and at the same time to provide green grass for the beasts.

Which is Which to follow? MONEY OR PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT?

Justin Madaha, Manager, Tabora Beekeepers’ Co-operative Society Ltd, and B&D's Correspondent in Tanzania.

Dear Mr Madaha

We have read your response to our article about research on appropriate smokers.

We are also aware that honey buyers from Europe request very clean honey that does not have a smoky taste. We agree with you that we beekeepers should be more concerned about our environment in the future, rather than quick profits from honey sales today.

There is however a solution to both the environmental and the business problems. The solution is INFORMATION!

1. We have to continue our struggle to inform our fellow beekeepers about the need to use nice, cold and white smoke from a good smoker rather then using open fires or dangerous torches that give a bad smell and cause forest fires. We should also inform them how to make cheap, protective clothing and how to harvest clean honey without dirt or dead bees.

2. We should also direct information to the honey buyers in Europe and elsewhere about African honeys. We should explain to them that the honey from African forests and woodlands is free from pesticides and pollution. We should tell them that the miombo woodlands produce nice honey with a“ wild” taste that resembles the taste of smoke. Finally we should explain that the African honeys are many times richer in enzymes, pollen, proteins and minerals compared to honey from other big honey exporter nations.

The buyers of honey should be aware that buying honey from poor country means support for healthy trade between rich and poor that does not conflict with conservation efforts.

Good luck with your promotional efforts!

Börje Svensson and R S O Koisianga, Nijiro Wildlife Research Centre, Tanzania

PS: Remember that Europeans love the flavour of smoked food.