News

GHANA

Nkoranza and Techiman Districts are gradually becoming pesticide polluted areas. This called for a suitably appropriate system for handling pesticides to safeguard our bee industry. In November 2007, in Nkoranza District we held a workshop to discuss:

Integrated pest management as a better alternative to pesticides

- Use of pesticide as the last resort

- Identification of pesticides, dosage and their proper application.

Various stakeholders were present including agro-input dealers, extension agents, banks and environmentalists. Our next meeting will discuss honey marketing.

Daniel Yando

HUNGARY

Loss of bees: During 2007 at least 25% of the bee population has been lost due to bad weather. Hungary contributes 15% of the total honey production within the European Union (EU). The annual harvest is 20,000-25,000 tonnes and 75% is exported. Mr Péter Bross, President of the Hungarian National Association of Beekeepers, said that 2008 will surely not be a good year and recalled that in 2007, Argentina, one of the world’s largest honey producers, had the worst harvest for 100 years. He reassured consumers within the EU that they would not feel these losses either in an increase in the price of Hungarian honey, or with low quality or false honey appearing in the market.

Source: www.agroinformacion.com

Honey factory closed: Hungary’s largest honey processing plant in Dunavarsany has been closed on suspicion of diluting its products following an investigation by food safety inspectors, the Customs and Finance Guard and the tax authority APEH. The swoop was part of a series of raids on honey manufacturers across Pest County.

Chief veterinary officer, Miklés Stith, speaking on Inforadié last Tuesday, explained that documentation and equipment discovered at the Aranynektar Kft factory in Dunavarsany provided Strong grounds for suspicion that the company has been bulking up its produce with syrups.

The quality of the honey sold in Hungary was called into question last May when an independent laboratory analysis commissioned by beekeepers found that 70% of the honey on supermarket shelves had been adulterated in some way.

Source: www.budapesttimes.hu

28 April 2008

THE GAMBIA

Sifoe Kafo Farm Beekeeping Association and the Gunjur Environmental Protection and Development Group collaborated to train 16 residents of Gunjur Village in beekeeping skills, for two weeks in January 2008.

Mr Modou Joof of the National Beekeepers Association of The Gambia, remarked on the importance of beekeeping to the environment, to agriculture and to help alleviate poverty in The Gambia. Training included the history, theory, ecological and practical aspects of beekeeping. Participants were taught how to build, bait, place and maintain their own hives. Trainees constructed 22 wooden top-bar hives and 10 top-bar hives made of cement.

The trainees viewed the workings of a colony through the window of the centre’s glass hive. They learned to differentiate between workers, drones, and the queen. Night time visits were made to Sifoe Kafo’s apiary to practise hive inspection, cleaning, grass removal, and honey harvesting.

Present at the closing ceremony on 12 January were representatives of the Alikalo and Imam of Sifoe, the Gunjur Council of Elders, the chairman of the Gunjur Village Development Committee, and Mr Farmara Conteh, representing project donor, the World Bank.

Manjiki Jabang

UGANDA

Honey harvest for Rwakicunduro Beekeepers’ Association: The Association was founded in 2004 and has a membership of 15 men, women and children. Beekeepers use local hives and harvest about 60 litres of honey per person, per season. Sent by Abeinomugisha Enoth

Edepu Dan Egoriait (below) gives practical advice in the training session on harvesting, processing, packing and marketing of honey for Asianut Beekeepers’ Group. This was held in March and was supported by the Teso Private Sector Development Centre. In Teso region, honey yields are 4-8 tonnes per harvest from frame hives. Good production from top-bar hives (2-3 tonnes) means a total of 6-11 tonnes of liquid honey is possible.