Tk 960m honey output expected in 2015

The country's honey growers are expecting 3,200 tonnes of honey worth Tk 960 million in 2015 thanks to an increase in the cultivation of oil seeds this season, farmers said.
Increasing numbers of modern honey farms are also helping boost production in recent times, they said.
The honey farmers, known as honey collectors, from Tangail, Jessore, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Gopalganj, Faridpur, Pabna, Sirajganj and Kishoreganj are now hovering from field to field of mustard oil to collect honey. Nearly 500 farmers in the country are now busy collecting honey.
Abdus Sattar Hiru, a farmer at Kajla-Taltaliar Chala village under Ghatail upazila in Tangail district said he and his fellow farmers have 100 honey boxes and they are expecting 1,600-1,650 kgs of honey this season.
 "Collection from the mustard fields started two weeks back," he said.
Another honey collector, Md Sarowar Alam (Kajol) from Jhenidah, has come to Ghatail in Tangail.
He said he has 60 honey boxes and is expecting to collect 1.0 tonnes (1,000 kg) of honey worth Tk 0.32 million from mustard oil fields.
Kajol informed the FE that following their 'honey collection calendar', after collecting honey from mustard oil fields, they will shift to Kalizeera fields in Sirajganj and Pabna, then to mango orchards in Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi, after that to litchi gardens in Dinajpur and Ishwardi and in the last three months to the Sundarbans.
He said proper training for honey growers and financial and technological supports can help boost honey production in the country.
Senior vice precedent of Bangladesh Apiculture Association (BAA) Md Shahjahan said the honey farmers are now ready with thousands of honey boxes to collect honey from mustard oil seed fields in Sirajganj, Pabna, Tangail, Manikganj, Munshiganj.
The country's 60 per cent honey is collected from mustard oil seed fields, he said.
Last year, honey production was a record 2,800 tonnes thanks to increase in oil seed production.
 "We are expecting that the total honey production will surpass 3,200 tonnes in 2015 of which commercial farms will provide 2,500 tonnes and the rest would be collected from the Sundarbans," he said.
 "This season, mustard oil cultivation has been expanded and the number of modern apiculture farms has also increased which is helping to have a higher production," he said.
Md Shahjahan said the country could be able to produce 20,000 tonnes of honey within four years if the present trend continues. He said the country could earn Tk 2.0 billion annually if it can export at least 2,000 tonnes of honey.
Experts said setting up of processing plants and creating an effective marketing chain can help the country export a large amount of honey in future.
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