BAGERHAT, Sept 23 (UNB): Honey production in the Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has got a boost due to a favourable environment, according to the Forest Department.
Muhammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO-East) of Sundarbans, said the density of trees and sources of honey in the Sundarbans has marked a rise in the world's largest mangrove forest.
"The number of flowers at different species of trees has also increased. Bees have found a favourable environment for making hives. That's why honey production has increased in the Sundarbans this year," he said.
Compared to the previous year, an additional 478 quintals of honey and 137 quintals of wax have been produced this year.
Belayet Hossain is hopeful that more honey will be produced in the Sundarbans in the future.
Local beekeepers said the amount of extracted honey is more than ever.
According to the Sundarbans East Division, 1220.50 quintals of honey and 366.15 quintals of wax were extracted from the area under the Sundarbans East Division in the fiscal year 2019-2020. Of this, an amount of Tk 915,375 came in revenue from honey and Tk 366,150 from beeswax. In all, the revenue of the forest department is Tk 1,281,525 from honey and beeswax.
In the financial year 2018-2019, 742.50 quintals of honey and 229.50 quintals of wax were extracted from the area under the Eastern Division of the Sundarbans. The revenue income from honey and beeswax in the last financial year was Tk 7,86,475. Honey extraction in the Sundarbans starts from April 1 every year and continues for three consecutive months till June 30.
The beekeepers of Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira districts adjacent to the Sundarbans have been extracting honey from the Sundarbans for generations.
