Beekeepers eye regional markets
A GROUP of local beekeepers recently toured Mozambique to get an appreciation of products, services, innovations and honey processing facilities in the neighbouring country.
In an interview, one of Mutare’s top beekeepers, Mr Ishmael Sithole, who owns MacJohnson Apiaries Corporation, said they intend to spread their tentacles into the region.
Mr Sithole initially went to Mozambique after he was invited to facilitate training of trainers workshops where he trained eight groups of lead beekeepers in Sussundega and Macossa districts.
“My objective was to promote fellow youthful beekeepers, as well as to strengthen my competitors so that as we compete we improve the quality of our products, services and innovations. We identified areas of mutual cooperation, which will make our products and services more competitive. I believe a strong competitor will help your business not to become complacent,” he said.
He added: “I observed with interest that the bulk of the honey is harvested from bark hives located in the indigenous virgin forests and it easily meets international standards. It is important that harvesting and handling is carried out carefully to ensure that the honey is not contaminated or adulterated after cropping.”
“Beekeepers were trained to select high quality combs that can be sold and separate them from the lower quality ones for home consumption. They extract honey from the comb at home from the lower quality ones for home consumption or local sale. They extract honey from the comb at home using simple equipment to make sure that the extraction process does not permit any contamination of the honey.”
Mr Sithole started his beekeeping career in October 2014.
He has participated at various exhibitions and has scooped 13 top awards in apiculture at provincial and national level.
He won the Best Honey and Honey Products and the Best Bees Wax and products awards in 2015 at the Manicaland Agricultural Show.
Last year, he came out tops in the Best Apiculture Literature, Best Exhibitor in Apiculture accolades at the Manicaland Youth Expo, Best Apiculture Exhibitor at Manicaland SME Expo.
This year, he was voted the Best Young Entreprenuer of the Year at the Manicaland Youth Expo.
“My production capacity is six tonnes per annum. I breed my own queens and split my existing colonies before they swarm. I also do swarm removal and relocation. Much of my honey goes into value added products like honey wine, honey mead, among other hive products and hive by-products. Honey is just one aspect of beekeeping.”
Mr Sithole owns apiaries in Ngaone in Chipinge, while the ones in Vumba and Chimanimani are joint ventures.